LNCE of Kresnik
by Daemon of Wrath
Summary: For countless years, mankind has been enraptured by the darkness. With the discovery of Dust and Artes, they were able to bring the light to their world and fight the forces of Grimm. however, a much grander plot is unfolding, one that will decide the fate of every living thing on Remnant. He succeeded the Trial once before...he will do it again.
1. Chapter 1

**Co-Written with Demons Anarchy of Pride. The creator of many fantastic masterpieces such as: Fire Emblem: Eternity Unto Reformation, Code Geass: Lelouch of the R-eset, The Crow: DxD, Highschool, DxD: Shatter Destiny, RWBY's Reaper, Code Geass: The Miraculous Birthday, Fractured Reality, Code Geass: Suzaku of the Counterattack, Devil Survivor: Destiny Rewind, and some of his new projects, such as Lagrange 111: You Are (Not) Alone, Tokyo Ghoul: A Flowered Colored Darker Than Black, and Persona 4: The Unseen Truth.**

 **I highly recommend you check them all out.**

 **This little project has been in our minds for quite a while now, and we are finally getting it out!**

 **With Volume 3 of RWBY In action, the hype is stronger than ever! RWBY is LIFE! Thank you, the Great Monty Oum, for granting us this masterpiece!**

 **A tribute to Monty Oum. A magnificent animator, a brilliant creator, and a good person. He will not be forgotten….He will NEVER be forgotten.**

 **His work inspired many aspiring animators and graphic designers across the nation. He was their role model, the one person they strived to be like.**

 _ **"I believe that the human spirit is indomitable. If you endeavor to achieve, it will happen given enough resolve. It may not be immediate, and often your greater dreams is something you will not achieve within your own lifetime. The effort you put forth to anything transcends yourself, for there is no futility even in death." -Monty Oum.**_

 **Monty Oum….may your soul rest in peace…**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Prologue: A New Chapter**

It was done.

The fractured Dimensions were all erased.

The Miasma was held back

The Soul Purification Continues.

Humanity has passed Origin's Trial.

The Wish of the pact between Humanity and Origin had been granted, albeit at a cost. The life of one man was sacrificed to save the one most precious to him. He died so that she would live. He became the millionth catalyst to save her existence.

He sacrificed himself to ensure that she and his friends had a future.

The man, Ludger Will Kresnik, had no regrets. He left them all with a smile on his face.  
And yet...

"I know that look, Origin."

Within a confined domain, filled with what looked like dark smoke, were two figures. The first was indistinguishable, the lines at the top of the head making it appear to have hair, but the eyes were missing, though it possessed a mouth. Its body was human shaped, about half as tall as the second, who was more defining. He had pale gray skin, brilliant golden eyes, and white hair, two appendages appearing to look like ears of some sort. His body was white and gray mostly, but at his elbows were elongated blades, and lacked feet.

"What's the matter?" the second being, Chronos, asked his friend. "Were you... unsatisfied with the results of the Trial?"

"No, it isn't that." Origin shook his head. "My thoughts are in regards to Ludger Will Kresnik and Julius Will Kresnik."

"Those two...?" Chronos was genuinely surprised. Why was Origin focused on the two brothers of the Kresnik bloodline? They were already dead and had granted Humanity the chance they desired. Their demise is what allowed the race to be deemed worthy of saving.

"Yes." The Great Spirit nodded. "They are two humans who sacrificed so much just to save those precious to them."

"And why exactly are you worried about those two?" he asked curiously, wanting to know why his friend was focused on those two people in particular.

"Because..." Origin said as he took two glowing white cogs into his hand. "They're continuing to resonate."

"So?" the Great Spirit of Time scoffed. "Souls here resonate when their lives have reached fulfillment. The seeker reached enlightenment when he was able to forge a bridge for his younger sibling, and the boy reached enlightenment when he saved the girl's life."

"True, but this a different form of resonance." the white being informed his companion, allowing Chronos to get a better look at it. "Do you see?"

Chronos didn't at first, but upon closer inspection, he did. Curiously, red and black sparks were forming around it, dancing wildly around the cogs. "What?" he said, completely baffled. "But, this resonance is... It cannot be."

But it was. The resonance these cogs were showing...almost signified that they were still alive.

"...I can't believe this." the Spirit muttered, dragging his hand down his face. "How the hell is this possible?"

"It just is, Chronos."

"It doesn't make sense, Origin." The Deity of Time stated. "Those two have already fulfilled their roles."

"Maybe in this world, yes. But in another...is an entirely different story."

"Another... Oh, for the love of..." Chronos groaned. "What is it with Kresniks with other worlds? Honestly!"

"You are just upset because this has happened before in the dimension with the three factions." Origin piped up.

"That was NOT supposed to happen, and you know it!" the Great Spirit of Time argued. "Their purposes should have been fulfilled, and yet somehow, they still managed to exist, and in that world of all places!"

"Heehee..."

"W-what are you laughing about?"

"C was right, Chronos." Origin giggled in his hand. "You're becoming more and more human by the day."

"Tch!" Chronos turned away in frustration. Now C was talking about him like this too? Why did this have to happen?! All because those two kept on reviving in different worlds. Not just the one with the Red Dragon Emperor, but also in the world that possesses the power of Geass.

"Relax, Chronos, it's a good thing."

"And pray tell, how?" he growled. "Anyway... where did they end up this time?"

Origin held up the spinning gears. The Great Spirit of Time leaned in, analyzing them carefully before his eyes widened.

"...of all the rotten luck..."

"Well, you could say that..." Origin mused with a neutral frown. "...They will definitely have their work cut out for them in this world. After all, not just humans will be tested for their worth, but an equal race as well..."

"In a world filled with those soulless creatures no less..."

"...you know, Origin," Chronos remarked. "When we made the Trial, it was meant to see if humans were capable of truly anything but selfish beings... but this?" he gestured to the gears that resonated with the newfound world. "This is cruel... even for us"

"Yes, but we were not like we were now." Origin said with sadness.

"I know...but even I think it is unsettling." The Great Spirit of Time frowned. "We gave two races...who generally hold nothing but envy, discrimination, and spite towards one another, the chance to be tested as to who will survive as the better."

"In a way, we were no better than Charles zi Britannia."

"I rather not be reminded of that bastard. It was because of him that you and C were nearly..." Chronos couldn't bring himself to finish. Just remembering it was painful enough...

"I know, Chronos." Origin nodded his head. "At any rate, this is most curious... how is it that Ludger and Julius exist in not one, but two worlds now?"

"Your guess is as good as mine..." Chronos shook his head. "Having them in the other world is enough of a headache as it is."

"Especially because of the children there?"

"Don't remind me... Please."

Origin giggled again, and then turned her attention back to the gears. "I'm looking forward to seeing what you will accomplish again... Ludger."

XXXXXXXXXX

"...whoa." was all the teen could say as he watched the world pass by him on the bulkhead, his face close to the glass. The world seemed so distant from here, flowing past several familiar places, a few of which he remembered fondly. "I wonder if this is Julius felt when he was on this?"

"...maybe..." A melodious voice said softly next to him.

The teen turned around, smiling as he nodded back. It was a young girl dressed in a light pink cardigan with a black turtleneck underneath, complete with a frilled light brown skirt and a pair of black pants underneath. At her hands were a pair of leather gloves, which were handling the parasol in her grasp. Her hair was unique, very much like her eyes, being a mix of brown, pink, and white.

"Hard to believe we're really here..." the teen said in excitement. "And after so many long days of training... We're finally on our way of becoming Huntsmen!"

"Easy there, Ludger." the girl placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. "Nice view, though."

"Definitely."

The teen nodded in eagerness. He was a tall man, taller than the girl next to him by at least a head. He had short, messy white hair that dropped a bit past his eyes with the bangs on the right side of his face were dyed black. He wore a dark blue buttoned shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Around his neck was an orange tie with a yellow cross pattern and metal cross fastened over the knot. His black slacks were held up but light brown suspenders that seemed to criss-cross up the sides of his torso. Strapped around his left thigh was a scroll case. On his right wrist was a black watch. His eyes were a bright green with a gold ring around the pupil.

"Hey, Neo... what do you think we'll see at Beacon?" the boy asked, grinning. "Just thinking about it is making me excited."

"Glad you are." Neo rolled her eyes before pointing to one of the other students. "Him? Not so much."

The teen turned to where she was pointing...and felt sorry for the guy. The guy in question had just vomited on the floor of the airship. He looked like he was not going to be recovering anytime soon...

"...I feel sorry for the guy. Motion sickness is a pretty common issue."

"Gets worse." Neo deadpanned. "Puked on her."

The teen again pointed her parasol, this time to a girl dressed in a elegant white dress with a red interior, possessing uncanny snow-white hair and equally gleaming eyes. Her face was contorted with anger, as the front of her dress was stained with green.

"...and she is?"

Neo sighed. "...Read the newspaper, Ludger." she told him. "...Snow-white is a Schnee."

"...Oh..OH..." Ludger's eyes widened for two reasons. The first finally recognizing the girl as the heiress to the Schnee Dust Corporation, as well as a renowned singer. The other is that he realized how much trouble the blonde boy was in now...

"...so," Ludger turned to Neo. "How high are the chances he's gonna get his ass kicked?"

"...meh. Sixty percent."

A resounding smack was heard a second later, followed by high pitched cries of pain.

Neo smirked, being right.

"Owch." the silver-haired teen winced. "That... had to hurt."

Neo gave a shrug before she turned around and cursed. "...crap."

"What? What's wrong?"

"Xiao Long. Twelve o'clock." she said as she whirled around. "Later."

"Eh? Wait, Neo, where are you-?" Too late. She quickly sped walked past the massive crowd of students, thereby leaving her lost. Ludger stared at where she left before scratching the back of his neck. "Good grief, what am I going to do with that girl? ...wait, did she just say?"

"LUDGES!"

"Huh? What the-OOF!"

Ludger felt the air leave his lungs from the heavy bear hug. But immediately, the white haired teen recognized who it was. He recognizes this voice and incredible strength anywhere. As his senses reoriented themselves, he saw a grinning face with long, blonde hair.

"Y-Yang...?!"

Sure enough, it was Yang Xiao Long. She was a buxom beauty with long, flowing golden hair and cold, steely blue eyes with a tight fitting brown jacket with a yellow undershirt underneath it, complete with black shorts. At her wrists were yellow bracers.

"How ya been...?! Better yet, why didn't you tell me you were enrolling in Beacon too?!" SHe grinned broadly as Ludger was slowly being crushed by the death hug.

"U-um... Yang... C-can't... breathe...!"

"Y-Yang! You're crushing him!"

Ludger's ears perked up upon recognizing a new voice. But that couldn't be...she was two years too young for Beacon...

But sure enough, said newcomer approached the duo, her face laced in concern for Ludger's well-being, knowing full well of the blonde's strength.

"R-Ruby...?"

The girl behind Yang was two years younger than them, bearing black hair with a red tint. Her attire was mostly because, sans for the red cape that fluttered behind her, as well as the monstrosity that sat at her hip.

"H-hey, Ludger..." Ruby smiled weakly at him as Yang finally let him go. The silver-haired teen gasped for air, his lungs expanding painfully. "You okay?"

"Y-yeah... Sheesh, little wonder you can't find a boyfriend, Yang. They'd run the second they either messed up your hair or get in one of your bear hugs!"

"Aw, come on!" the blonde grinned. "You know you love me!"

"Well...you are one of my best friends...so how could I not?" Ludger said as he gulped more air.

"What about me...?" Ruby pouted, not feeling the love.

"I said ONE of my best friends. You are one of my best friends too, Ruby..."

The girl grinned before Yang smacked him in the shoulder playfully. "Anyway, you should have told us you were gonna be joining Beacon!" she said, smiling. "I mean, come on! How could you not tell us?"

"Oh, you mean like you not telling me that Ruby's here too?" he asked back, raising an eyebrow. "Yang, she's two years younger than us. She should-"

"-be back at Signal, I know." Ruby sighed, scratching the back of her head. "But, ya see... I kinda..."

"Did something awesome." Yang grinned. "Okay, so listen to this!"

"Yang!"

"What? Come on, it's Ludger!"

"But-!"

"No buts!" Yang interrupted her. "Besides...I think our friend has a right to know how awesome you were the other night!"

"Huh? Other night?" The silver haired teen raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, get a load of this!" the blonde said excitedly while the girl in question had a large blush on her cheeks. "The other night, while my sister was out, she's in this dust store that's getting robbed right? they try to mugger, she kicks the crap out of them! The boss gets away, but she got to look good! AND in front of a real-live Huntress!"

"Yeah," Ruby grumbled. "One who's as cranky as Zwei when he hasn't eaten."

"...let me get this straight," Ludger said, his face emotionless. "Ruby was in the middle of a robbery... and she went and kicked their butts?"

"Thugs of one Roman Torchwick." Yang finished with a grin.

Ludger stared at Ruby for a second. Two, then three. Four seconds passed.

Then he smiled.

"And you said you couldn't make it early!"

"H-hey!" the girl blushed harder. "T-the only reason I'm even here at Beacon is because Ozpin actually had a talk with the board at Signal. It's bad enough Uncle Qrow was teasing me about it, much less Yang!"

"It's not teasing, it's praising." the brawler said. "Come on, Ruby! Do you know how many kids at Signal actually skip ahead a year?!"

"Yeah! You are one of the rare few that actually accomplished this!" Ludger added. "Ozpin must've been really impressed by what you did."

"But...It just feels so surreal. I still can't believe I'm even here..."

"Well start believing. Because the truth of the matter is that the Headmaster saw that you had what it takes to be a huntress!"

"Damn right!" Yang took her sister and hoisted her up, pulling her into a bear hug. "Oooo! I'm so excited! My baby sister's gonna be in Beacon with us!"

Ludger chuckled as he watched the two sisters interact before turning back to the excellent view. "We're finally here..." he breathed. "We're actually at Beacon..."

Finally...a new chapter was beginning for them. They had graduated from Signal Academy, and were accepted to one of the finest Academies in Remnant...Ludger was feeling both anxiety and excitement, but his eagerness outweighed his case of nerves.

"By the way..." Yang spoke up, breaking him out of his musings. "When I saw you earlier, I thought there was another person next to you before leaving..."

"Oh, that was Neo." Ludger replied before he frowned. "She left in a hurry though, for some reason."

Suddenly, Yang developed a large grin across her face. "Oho, so ice cream's here too?"

"Why do you keep calling her that?" Ruby asked. "Is it because her full name's Neapolitan?"

"maybe~"

The male sighed. "I swear, Yang..."

"Well, if you excuse me, I'm gonna get a scoop of ice cream." she winked at the two. "tootles~"

With that, she left the duo in search for a petite huntress in training. Ludger and Ruby immediately felt sorry for the Ice Cream lover when Yang got her hands on her.

"...How long do you think till Yang catches up to her?"

Ruby was about to reply when they heard Yang call out "Hey Neo!" with a scuffle following afterward.

"...That long."

Ludger sighed. "I should have kept my mouth shut."

"Well, best hope now that she doesn't come back to beat you." Ruby giggled. "Still, it's great to know you and Yang are going to be here! And Neo too!"

"Yeah." he smiled back at her. "And the view's amazing... I can only wonder how Julius felt when he was looking at this."

"Oh yeah... Your brother went to Beacon as well, didn't he?" Ruby remembered.

"That's right. He and his team graduated as one of the best."

"Really?"

"Yep." Ludger chuckled. "Team JNUS (Janus), led by Julius Will Kresnik."

"Wow! What did he think of you and Neo enrolling in Beacon?" The red hooded girl asked in curiosity.

"Well..." The white haired teen trailed off.

XXXXXXXXXX

"...Could you repeat that, Ludger?"

"It's what I said Julius..." Ludger nodded in confirmation. "Neo and I are enrolling in Beacon."

Julius Will Kresnik was a broad man, standing at a nearly imposing height with combed brown hair, a stout face with a terrifying gleam reflected in his glasses that sat on his nose. He was dressed in a pinstripe suit with a buttoned shirt and neck-tie, complete with a white coat and a black glove on his left hand.

The man stared at Ludger for the longest time, glaring right into his eyes before he sighed, pinching his nose. "...can I ask why?"

"It's just...I want to be like you, Julius!" Ludger spoke with conviction. "You are a great huntsman…even the Crown Agent of Spirius! You have taken care of me ever since we were kids…I just want to repay you for your kindness! That is why I want to be a huntsman. Neo feels the same!"

Ever since he was a young boy, Julius had been the one who cared for Ludger. He didn't know who their parents were, so Julius took it upon himself to raise Ludger , and eventually Neo as well. He didn't see Julius only as an older brother, but as a father figure and role model.

The man raised an eyebrow. "...Ludger," he sighed heavily as he stood up from his chair. "I'm not someone you want to exactly be like. Every person has done something wrong in their lives at least once, and for me... well, let's just say the amount of things I've done wrong are beyond imagination."

"B-but..."

"Although, if that's your decision, I won't stop you." Ludger looked up as his brother patted him on the head. "After all, I can't exactly baby you forever. You're already a man now, capable of making your own decisions."

"Thank you, Julius!" Ludger spoke gratefully. While he was unsure of what his brother had done in his past, he was glad he was letting him go through with this.

"Although..."

"E-eh?"

Julius put both his hands on his shoulders, giving him the most serious look he had ever seen on his face. His lips were set into a thin line, eyes boring into his. Ludger gulped, wondering what he was going to say. Was Julius going to tell him to be careful? Would he warn him about something? P-perhaps some advice...?

"...please, don't make me an uncle just yet!"

"GOD DAMMIT JULIUUUUUUUUUS!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"W-wow..." Ruby muttered, her cheeks painted lightly red. "T-that's... uh..."

"I know..." Ludger sighed in humiliation, hanging his head low. "Please... don't say it."

Ruby couldn't say much in response to that.

Ludger still couldn't believe Julius told him that. He even knew who his brother was referring to...

His eyes trained onto the tricolored haired girl with a parasol who was currently struggling under Yang's death grip.

"Heehee~ Gotcha!"

The captive girl tried to push her away.

"Nope!" Yang grinned back as she continued to drag her. "Yo, Ludges! Look who I found!"

Neo glared at her, and then sent a look at Ludger that screamed: Traitor.

Ludger held up his hands in defense. "Sorry."

Neo merely pouted cutely in his direction, feeling betrayed.

Ludger felt guilty. He really didn't like it when she pulled the puppy dog eyes on him.

"Um, Yang...?" Ruby said, sweat-dropping at the sight. "Why are you dragging Neo around?"

"Because it's fun! She is just so cute and cuddly!" Yang beamed as she rubbed her cheek on Neo's as if she were an adorable pet.

She looked pleadingly at Ludger.

The teen sighed. "Yang, can you please let go of her?"

"Aw...but why...?" she pouted.

"Please?" Ludger begged nicely.

Yang pouted again, and relinquished her hold. Instantly, Neo took refuge behind Ludger and Ruby. Since both teenagers were taller than her, she was completely hidden from view. "...scary woman."

"Yes. Yes she is..." both Ludger and Ruby agreed simultaneously.

Yang pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "Am not!"

"...are too." Neo replied back softly, still behind them.

Just as they were about to get into friendly banter, the glass windows lit up, revealing a woman with stylized blonde hair and round glasses, dressed in a formal dress shirt with a black cape and skirt, complete with leggings and purple heels. In her hands was a wand of some kind. Strangely, Ruby seemed to cringe when she saw her. "Hello, students."

"Who's she supposed to be?" Yang asked.

"My name is Glynda Goodwitch."

"Never mind."

The woman continued to speak, the four listened intently. "You are among a privileged few who have received the honor of being selected to attend this prestigious academy! Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace, and as future huntsmen and huntresses it is your duty to uphold it. You have demonstrated the courage needed for such a task. Now, it is our turn to provide you with the knowledge and the training to protect our world."

With her speech finished, the image faded away.

Neo shuddered silently. Ruby could only nod in agreement. That had been her impression as well when they had met the other day.

"H-hey! Look!" one of the students called out. "I can see Beacon!"

The four turned to where the random student was pointing and gazed out the airship window. Far off in the distance, they were able to see a castle-like structure with a bright light glowing at the apex center tower, almost like a beacon.

"...holy crap that's so cool!" Ruby squealed.

"Yeah! Signal doesn't even begin to compare to this!" yang agreed.

Ludger and Neo silently nodded in agreement.

The group could only feel excitement. This was it... a brand new start of things to come. A new chapter in their lives as future Hunters and Huntresses. None of them could wait to get started. The training, they knew, would be long and grueling, but it would better them all.

"Just wait, Julius..." Ludger said, thinking of his elder brother. "I'll catch up to you!"

Neo heard this, and giggled in her hand. Really, he looked up to his brother a bit too much sometimes.

"Hrgh... Urk!"

The four then turned to the right. Ludger and Neo recognized the boy from earlier, the one who vomited on the Schnee heiress. After looking through the window, they assumed he grew nauseous again as he stumbled away from it.

"Aaaaand here comes another round of the barf boy." Yang remarked.

Neo gave her a skeptical look.

"Hey, I name them as I see them." she argued.

"Guh...ugh..." Vomit boy placed a hand over his mouth to try and stop the rising bile.

"Well, don't look now, Yang," Ludger told her as he and Neo stepped back a bit. "But he's coming this way."

"Wait, what?" the blonde turned in questioning.

"Ew! gross! Yang! You got puke on your shoe!" Ruby pointed to her sisters feet.

"W-what?!"

"Ew! G-get away! Get AWAY!"

As this scene played out, Ludger and Neo quietly sneaked away from the commotion. Meanwhile, the Schnee heiress was in the bathroom, trying her best to remove the bile from her dress.

"I can't believe the nerve of that-that... ingrate!" Weiss Schnee mumbled, managing to scrub off most of the puke. She took a quick whiff before recoiling in disgust. "Ugh, it will take weeks to get this stink out!"

"Then use shampoo! Shampoo is awesome! Shampoo is GREAT!"

"Shampoo doesn't work at all with clothes-wait, what the-?!"

Weiss quickly whirled around, and instantly found her face inches away from another's.

"Hello!" they greeted happily with a large grin. Sadly, their sudden presence caused Weiss to yell, falling flat on her rear.

"H-how did you get behind me?!"

Grinning brightly at her was a young girl with dark blue hair that reached down to her shoulders. She was dressed in a baggy shirt that was obviously several sizes larger than her with the sleeves reaching past her fingertips and the hem going down to her thighs. She also wore tight, small shorts, and a pair of sandals.

"W-who the heck are you?!" Weiss demanded, completely left shocked and vulnerable. How in the world could she have gotten past her? She was sure she was the only one in the washroom!

"Ohayo, Snow Angel~" the girl greeted. "I'm Cielo! Nice to meet'cha~"

"Er... hi?"

Weiss was feeling a bit uneasy around this girl, given her overly energetic and cheerful disposition.

"So...you need a way to wash out the puke from your dress?" She questioned.

"Y-yeah..."

"Then I recommend shampoo!" Cielo suggested, whipping out a bottle of the stuff from her sleeve. 'Where the hell did she get that?!' the heiress questioned in shock. "It's awesome! Gets rid of stink really good!"

"How's shampoo gonna help me?!"

"Just rub in on the stain in your dress and wash it right out! It will get rid of it and make it smell pretty!"

Weiss gawked at the girl. W-was she... this idiotic? She heard of idiocy, hell she was seeing plenty of it around here with these dullards, but... this girl...

There was just... no words...

"...you seriously think shampoo will get rid of the smell?"

"I know so!" Cielo bowed her head before shoving the bottle in her hands. "Anyway, gotta go! See you, Snow Angel~"

"H-hey, wait-"

Too late. The girl bolted right out the door. Weiss blinked, staring at the door before she looked at the bottle.

The label read: BLEACH

"...I can't believe she mistook bleach for shampoo."

XXXXXXXXXX

Nico Bodaveg was not having a good day. It was one thing to being forced to ride inside the Bulkhead with so many people, leaving little room for him to be inside, but it was another thing for him to get into a fight when he bumped into someone.

He tried to apologize, he really did, but the guy, Cardin he thinks his name was... he just wouldn't let it go.

"What?" Cardin sneered in his face, getting into his personal space as he glared down at him, being at least half a head taller. "You think you hot shit because of those tats?"

Nico narrowed his golden eyes, giving of an intense glare. He was only dressed in gray cargo jeans, combats boots, and a red bandanna wrapped around his head. Black, glyph-like tattoos ran all over his body, which were visible due to his lack of a shirt. They were light, heavily contrasting his dark complexion.

"They are not tattoos." he informed the man. "Please, step aside... lest you regret it."

"Oh yeah?" Cardin shoved him back, agitating the teen further. "What are you gonna do about it, pipsqueak?!"

Nico sighed. "...foolish."

"What did you say you little-?!"

Then, in the next second, a resounding 'crack' echoed in the air.

Everyone within the vicinity whipped their heads to the source.

Their eyes grew wide upon seeing what it was, out of both awe and terror.

Nico was holding Cardin's arm... except it was bent at a horrible angle. It was backwards, a position it should have never been in, and slightly twisted around, with the back hand now facing his shoulder.

" GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" The hulking teen howled in absolute agony. It felt as if his arm was on fire, drenched in acid, rubbed in salt, sliced open, sewn together, and ripped apart again from the inside out!

Nico held a calm disposition as he twisted the mangled arm to an even worse angle.

"Gra-GAAAAGH!"

"...will you continue to aggravate me still, Cardin Winchester?" Nico asked him, as if he wasn't twisting Cardin's arm around as if it were a play thing. "Or is further pain required?"

Using all the will he had left, Cardin shot a lethal glare at the shorter teen. Seeing as the man had not learned his lesson yet, Nico twisted the arm once more. The sound of even more bones cracking and breaking filled the interior of the air ship. Any more and his arm will literally pop off.

Cardin cried silently, unable to utter a sound from the extreme pain.

"If you keep this up...this arm may never recover. I am giving you one more chance before I twist your limb off your body."

"Y-yes!" he finally managed to croak. "F-fuck! I-I won't mess with you anymore! F-fucking christ, l-let go of my arm!"

Nico nodded, and finally relinquished his hold, allowing Cardin to stumble away from him, tending his horribly mangled limb. "...well, it appears you have a brain after all, Cardin Winchester." the young man said before he turned around, making his leave for someplace quieter.

Cardin just glared at the retreating teen with absolute hatred while his nursed his twisted arm.

He never felt so humiliated.

That guy was going to pay.

Nico however, already felt the malice stemming from Cardin and sighed in exasperation.

"...I really detest stubborn and close-minded people like him.

"Huh..." a voice commented next to him. "Wouldn't have guessed, from the way you fucked up his arm."

Nico stopped, and looked to his left. Instantly, he narrowed his eyes, practically seeing the well-concealed killing intent that flowed off of his very being.

"...and you are?"

The person before him was a young male around his age. He had dark blue hair that nearly reached his eyes with sapphire eyes that glowed like fire. He was dressed in a light gray t-shirt with dark cargo jeans and combat boots. A dark blue coat with rolled sleeves hung on his frame. His hands were garbed in black, fingerless gloves with metal plates across the back. On those plates held the symbol of two arching lines resembling the outline of arch demon wings stemming off the guard of a sword engulfed in blue flames. Attached to his side was a sheathed sword. The sheath itself was slightly curved and mechanical. Circuit-like veins rand across the body, most of them concentrated on the edges.

An amused smirk was on the boy's face.

"Yo," the newcomer greeted. "Name's Eden. You?"

"...Nico." the dark-skinned boy replied. "Bodaveg, Nico."

"It's nice to meet you, Nico." Eden extended a friendly hand. "I must say...you did a good job putting that guy in his place.

Nico looked at the hand analytically, then back up to Eden, trying to determine his intentions. He was able to sense the bloodlust and killing intent, no matter how much he concealed it.

Although... there was the fact that he was also keeping it under strict lock, as to not actually allow it to be felt freely. Obviously, he was restraining himself.

Hm... what an odd person.

Nico took his hand. "A pleasure."

"Seriously though..." Eden smiled impressed. "...You were able to twist his arm with precise movement and speed that he didn't even realize till it was too late. I applaud you for such magnificent execution."

"Thanks..."

Though he wasn't sure if he felt comfortable being praised by someone who could kill everyone on board, if they didn't possess the required fighting skills. Only a few people here looked as if they could hold their own.

"So, what do you think Beacon will be like? The sword-wielder asked him. "I hear they've got all sorts of people. Even Faunus too."

Nico shrugged his shoulders. "We will simply have to see. We will be landing shortly."

"Cool. Can't wait to see what happens. Who knows? We may even be on the same team?"

"Maybe. But we don't know for certain yet."

"Eh, well, whatever." Eden shrugged before grinning. "This is going to be fun..."

XXXXXXXXXX

Elsewhere, inside Beacon, Ozpin was going over the profiles of all the students, sitting at his desk with his Scroll in one hand, and his coffee mug in the other.

He thumbed through the potential students this year's enrollment. However, his thumb stopped as he came across a particular profile. His eyes bulged. He was shocked to the point of nearly dropping his favorite mug. However, his eyes also held recognition and sadness.

The name of the profile read: Ludger Will Kresnik.

"...I don't believe it."

He set his coffee mug down, his hand making subtle tremors. He immediately recognized the resemblance between Ludger and two people from his past.

A person that he once saw in him.

And a person who he greatly cherished.

His eyes lingered to a face down photograph on the corner of his desk.

Bitterness came across his face as his finger gingerly brushed against it. "...so, even now, we can't truly escape our blood." Ozpin muttered. "Well... this is certainly going to be an interesting year."

 **-Prologue: END-**

Next Time: Welcome to Beacon! (Part I)


	2. Chapter 2

**Co-Written with Demons Anarchy of Pride. The creator of many fantastic masterpieces such as: Fire Emblem: Eternity Unto Reformation, Code Geass: Lelouch of the R-eset, The Crow: DxD, Highschool, DxD: Shatter Destiny, RWBY's Reaper, Code Geass: The Miraculous Birthday, Fractured Reality, Code Geass: Suzaku of the Counterattack, Devil Survivor: Destiny Rewind, and some of his new projects, such as Lagrange 111: You Are (Not) Alone, Tokyo Ghoul: A Flowered Colored Darker Than Black, Persona 4: The Unseen Truth, and Monarch.**

 **I highly recommend you check them all out.**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Chapter 1: Welcome to Beacon(Part 1)**

The airship gently touched down to the sky dock of Beacon Academy. The Vehicle opened its doors after landing safely, allowing the students to clamor out onto the expanse campus. A familiar blonde haired boy rushed out and made a bee-line for the nearest trashcan, emptying the contents of his stomach.

Stepping out next were the four teenagers from Signal Academy.

"Yahoo!" Yang cheered as she hopped out of the Bulkhead, stretching her arms. "Fresh air in Beacon Academy! Life is great!"

Neo rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless. Ludger chuckled as he and Ruby admired the sights, primarily the main building of the entire school. It resembled a medieval castle of some sort, grand and standing proudly for all to see. It's grandeur was well entranced with the bright blue sky behind it.

"So, this is Beacon..." the silver-haired teen grinned. "Bigger than in the pictures."

Neo nodded in agreement. Both she and Ludger had looked into Beacon before their enrollment...the tiny pictures online don't even begin to do the sheer size of the School justice. As they walked closer to the massive building, they saw many people pass by.

But Ruby was more interested in the weapons each of them carried. As another future student passed by, sparkles appeared in the red hooded girl's eyes as she seemed to have shrunk in size and grew cuter while floating in mid air, which Yang had dubbed her "Chibi Mode."

"Ooh! Sis, that guy's got a collapsible staff!" She she noticed the weapon of another passerby and flew off Yang's arm towards it. "And she's got a fire sword!"

The blonde fighter rolled her eyes as she held unto her cape as she tried to drift off, almost repeatedly, to get a better look at said weapons. Ludger grinned at the sight. Ruby was a weapons fanatic, plain and simple. She loved interacting with people's weapons more than the owner of said weapon themselves, so interested in the mechanics and workings that she would likely take it apart to see every tiny detail before putting it back together again, and make it look as good as new.

"Whoo, okay, calm down sis!" Yang advised as Ruby returned to her normal state. "And try not to fly off on us!"

"But I can't help it..." She whined. "There are just so many around!"

"Easy there, they are just weapons."

"Just weapons?!" Ruby gawked at her sister as if she had grown a second head. "They are NOT 'just weapons', they are a part of us! A part of how we live! They are extensions of ourselves! They protect us, they fight with us, they keep up warm and comfy at night!"

"...she needs mental help." Neo said quietly, looking over to Ludger, who merely sweat dropped.

"Ruby, not everything is about weapons, you know." Yang told her younger sister. "You need to get out more! Make some friends!"

The fanatic tilted her head. "But... I'm hanging out with you and Ludger and Neo, aren't I?"

"Sorry, Ruby, but I already make some prior engagements!" It was just then that a group of students suddenly appeared all around Yang, causing the red-hooded girl to stumble back while Ludger pulled Neo away, as to not get pulled into the crowd. "See ya!"

"W-wait, Yang!" It was too late. She was already gone with the massive crowd of students, leaving the three to gawk. "D-did she just leave me here?!"

"...yes." Ludger nodded slowly. "Yes, she did."

"How could she...?!" She cried out, tears beading at her eyes. "How could she leave her own sister all alone?!"

"..." Neo just stared at her in a deadpan manner.

"...Oh, right..."

"Gee, sorry for leaving you to your lonesome, Ruby." Ludger said in mock-hurt. "I'm sorry we're not such good friends!"

"N-No! That's now that I meant! I'm so sorry!" Ruby panicked.

"Hahahahah! Relax, Ruby, we're joking!" the boy told her, smiling. "We're friends, no matter how you look at it."

Neo merely shrugged her shoulders, as if agreeing with him.

"Phew...thanks you guys...But I still think it was mean of Yang to just leave us like this..."

"I don't know...I think it was her way of saying that you need to go out and make new friends." Ludger offered.

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

Neo stared at her.

"W-what? I've got you and Ludger!"

Ludger sighed. "Ruby... Me and Neo, and what little friends you have back at Signal, are the only friends you have." he told her sternly. "You need to broaden your horizons. You can't just make friends because they've got cool weapons."

"Why not?" Ruby pouted. "I became friends with you because of your swords and guns, didn't I?"

"That's beside the point!"

Ludger responded, a bit touchy with his own weapons. They may be rather simplistic, but they were for sure effectively and versatile in combat. After all, who else was able to fight with a selection of three weapons at his disposal freely in a fight? "...The point it is: You need to start meeting new people. Remnant is a huge place, and there are all types of people around. You can't keep your social ties narrowed down to a select few."

"B-but..." Ruby tried to form an argument, but found that she held nothing to retort to Ludger's words. She sighed heavily. "...fine..."

"Good." Ludger nodded in approval.

Just as the conversation was about to move forward, Ruby yelped when something knocked against her, causing her to hit the ground, along with whatever struck her.

"Owie..." She groaned as laid flat on the ground with a pile of white suit cases sprawled over her.

"Whoa, are you alright, Ruby?!" Ludger cried out, rushing over to help her while Neo groaned when she saw the suitcases... along with who was with the pile of fallen luggage.

"Just what do you think you're doing?!" A familiar, shrill voice demanded.

Ludger turned to the source while he was in the process of unearthing Ruby from the mound of suit cases.

When he saw her, Ludger groaned. 'Of all the luck...'

It was the heiress of the Schnee company, Weiss Schnee... and she was fuming.

Ruby, after feeling the load on her body lighten somewhat, had managed to sit upright, and looked at Weiss with an apologetic expression. "Uh...Sorry..."

"Sorry? Do you have any idea of the damage you could've caused?"

The heiress was livid as she stomped over and picked up what appeared to be a fallen vile containing some sort of red substance. Ludger immediately recognized it as dust... Red Dust to be exact.

And it was leaking.

'Oh boy.'

"Um, Miss?"

"Do you know how hard it is to get your hands on high quality dust?!"

"Er... dust...?" Ruby questioned, still a bit dazed by the fall. Her brain was still trying to process what had just happened.

"Yes! What are you, brain dead? Fire, Water, Lightning, energy!" Weiss shook the leaking vial as she explained everything in an irritated manner.

"Um, Miss..."

"Uhhh..." Ruby's nose started to twitch.

"Are you even listening to me? Is any of this sinking in?" More dust leaked from the vial. Neo saw this as an opportunity to get her friend out of the crossfire. She grabbed Ludger by the hem of his shirt and backpedaled. "What do you have to say for yourself?!"

"A-ah... Ahh..."

Finally, the small traces of dust finally settled inside Ruby's nose, and-

"ACHOO!"

Ruby's sneeze ignited the cloud of spilled dust, right at Weiss's face. An explosion of flames, lightning, and strangely ice shards erupted all around her. Ludger and Neo were just outside the blast radius. The leaking vial flew out of Weiss's hands and rolled a little ways away until it stopped at a black boot.

"...I tried to warn you, miss..." Ludger said weakly as the smoke slowly died down. "Your vial wasn't sealed properly..."

The soot-covered Schnee merely shot a mild glare at him, agitation fully distinguished.

Neo sighed, shaking her head. "Here we go..." she muttered as she opened up her parasol, and twirled it over her head as she turned around. "Let's go, Ludger."

"E-eh? W-wait, Neo...!"

However Ludger was cut off as Neo grabbed him by the hand and both of them vanished in a flash of light. The white haired girl was dumbstruck while Ruby was despairing from being abandoned.

"Wh-Wha?! What happened? Where did they go?!"

"H-hey!" Ruby cried. "N-Neo! W-what the heck?!"

Weiss blinked rapidly, unsure of what had just happened. At first she wondered who the two of them were, but then came to the conclusion that they were merely just bystanders. Besides, she had more important things to deal with...

...like a certain idiot for instance!

"You...Unbelievable! This is exactly the kind of thing I was talking about!" She scolded, referring to the explosion. Finally the soot shook off her body, leaving her normal again.

"I'm really, really sorry!" Ruby apologized meekly, pressing her fingers together.

"Ugh! You complete, dolt! What are you even doing here? Aren't you a little young to be attending Beacon?"

"W-well excuse me!" Ruby snapped. Honestly, what was this girl's problem?! "And who are you supposed to be anyway?! A princess?!"

"An heiress, actually."

Both paused in their argument and turned to one side, seeing a girl approach them. She had long, wavy black hair that end at her mid back with a black bow sitting on top of her head. Her eyes were golden amber, almost like a cat's. She was dressed in a sleeveless white blouse that exposed her midriff with a black vest over it. She also wore white shorts with leggings that transitioned from black to purple on the way down and black combat boots with metal studs around the top. Around her neck was a black scarf. She had a single black, sleeve on her left arm that extended to her upper bicep while both of her wrists had black bandages wrapped around them like bands. Sheathed at her back seemed to be a sword of some kind. In her hands were a brown covered book and the missing vial of dust.

"Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, one of the largest producers of energy propellant in the world..."

"Finally, some recognition!-" Weiss stated smugly.

"...The same company infamous for its controversial labor forces and questionable business partners." The girl finished.

Instantly, her smug smile fell into displeasure.

"Why you...!"

"Don't forget the shady deals under the table, if the tabloids are to be believed!"

Ruby turned her head to see two boys walking toward them. Instantly, she felt her inner weapons fanatic coming to life when she laid eyes on one of their weapons, a large grin forming across her face, and sparkles dancing around her eyes. 'Omigosh! That sword looks SO COOL!'

"W-who the heck are you supposed to be?!" Weiss shouted, indignantly. "A-and, will you put on a damned shirt?!"

"Hey, we're all entitled to our own preferences Miss Schee...plus I don't like shirts that much...they chaff my skin." Nico shrugged.

"Well, it gives the excuse to show off those wicked markings." The blue haired male next to him shrugged with amusement.

The boy next to him frowned. "As I told Cardin Winchester, they are not tattoos."

"Then what the heck are they?" the boy asked in curiosity. "A fashion statement?"

"Hey!" Weiss growled. "I'm talking to you two!"

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Keep your panties on, princess."

"Excuse me?!" Weiss questioned indignantly.

"I'm just telling you to be patient." The swordsman held his hands in front of him. "We'll get back to you after our conversation, 'kay?"

"W-why you arrogant piece of...!"

The black-haired girl sighed, shaking his head. "You never change, do you...?" she asked as she looked at the boy, staring back at his eyes. When he seemed to recognize her, he grinned. "Eden."

"Yo, Belladona." the boy, now named Eden, raised his hand in greeting. "Never thought I'd see you here." He gave a quick look around. "I don't see the piss ant red head anywhere... I take it you ditched?"

"It was either that," the girl shrugged. "Or deal with the so-called Blue Devil."

Ruby frowned upon hearing the name. "Blue... Devil?"

The moniker obviously suddenly struck a cord with Weiss, as the color drained from her face and stepped back. "Y-You're the Blue Devil?!" she cried in shock. "B-but your just a kid!"

"I see, so says the blind man." Eden cackled. "I see my rep's famous, even to some stuck up spoiled brat."

Weiss couldn't even retort to that remark...her thoughts were focused on the idea that the boy in front of her is the Blue Devil.

She had heard stories of this person, he was able to take out an entire horde of Grimm by himself. In addition to that, he had defeated...no...he ERASED many terrorist cells just because they were 'in his way'. None of the terrorists survived. Many were decapitated or bisected; others were sliced into tiny, unrecognizable bits, while others were reduced to ashes! A good portion of these belonging to the White Fang…the rest belonged to…a group just as cruel…They said that he was the Devil incarnate himself.

"Er, sorry, but..." Ruby raised a hand. "Who are you?"

It was the black-haired girl who answered, albeit with a slight tension in her voice. "Eden of the Azure Flames, also known as the Blue Devil. He's a talented mercenary for higher, capable of wiping out several Grimm all at once. Of course, what really earned his reputation was when he slaughtered an entire White Fang cell without any mercy whatsoever." Her eyes narrowed. "There wasn't a single survivor... Not a one."

"Oi, there's no need to make it seem like I'm the bad guy here," Eden shrugged. "They were annoying because I was apparently getting in the way of their job... whatever the hell that was."

"So..." Ruby tilted her head, folding her arms. "Your some kind of ultimate badass who can use blue flames?"

"Pretty much it in a nutshell kid."

"Huh..." Ruby nodded. "I see... Oh, yeah, can I ask something?"

"Shoot."

"CAN I SEE YOUR SWORD?!"

Ruby had immediately got up to his face with stars in her eyes. The sudden movement startled Eden somewhat, but then he relaxed.

"...Go ahead." He took the sheathed sword from his hip and gave it to her.

Ruby immediately went crazy as she immediately began to examine it.

It was a magnificent piece of weaponry in itself. The craftsmanship was on par with that of a master. The sheathe itself is also something of interest. She could tell that the sword is meant to be a katana, but instead of a regular wooden sheathe, it was mechanical. It was made of black metal with dark blue, circuit-like lines running all across them, particularly on the edges. She didn't know what they were for, but assumed they held some sort of purpose. Oddly enough, there also seemed to be a hand and a half sized gap between the mouth and the rest of the sheath, allowing it to act like a handle. She tried to pull out the sword to get a better look at the blade...but found herself unable to.

"Wh-huh? What the heck? I can't get it out!" Ruby tried tugging harder.

Nico raised an eyebrow at this, looking at the blade before turning to Eden, who looked quite amused with her attempts. "...is that the sort of person you are, Eden?"

"Meh, partly. While seeing her struggle is mildly entertaining, there is a reason why it won't come out."

"And that reason is...?"

"I don't use the blade of my sword unless it's necessary, that is why I have a lock on it. Think of it as a restraint so I don't actually fall to my bloodlust."

Nico seemed to understand this logic, and nodded. Weiss, however, sweat-dropped at the girl's attempts to pry the sword away from the sheath. 'Just what do you have to do to keep a blade so tightly kept in there?' she wondered briefly. 'Moreover, why keep it in its sheath? I understand that there's a sword style that relies on the sheath in battle, but to use a sheath only? That's completely absurd!'

"It may look absurd..." Eden voiced out, surprising Weiss. "...But the sheath itself has a few surprises of its own, making it more than a capable weapon."

"Wh-wha...how did you..."

"Simple. I just guessed what you were thinking based on your expression."

"Huuuuuuurgh...!" Ruby's face went red as she tried to pry the blade out once more. Sadly, the hilt would not move even an inch. Finally, she gave up, panting heavily. "W-what's... up... with this thing...?"

"Sorry," the swordsman chuckled as he took his sword back from here. "But I'm the only one who can really pop this sucker out... And no, you can't see what it looks like."

"Mou~ Your a meanie!"

"Hahahaha! What gave it away? My dashing good looks? Or my apparent nickname?"

"I would guess that it is the latter." Nico deadpanned.

"Well, it's just who I am." Eden shrugged.

The black-haired girl sighed. "You are impossible..." she muttered, shaking her head. With that, she turned on her heel, making her exit. Weiss blinked rapidly, whirling around with face left in indignation. She had not forgotten at all what that little upstart had said earlier.

"H-hey, get back here!" she cried out as she chased after her.

Eden chuckled. "Well, guess I better head out then." he said as he turned to Nico. "You comin', Nico?"

The tanned boy shook his head. "No... I wish to explore Beacon's grounds before heading to the ceremonial hall."

Eden raised an eyebrow, but shrugged. "Alright, your loss."

With a wave, the blue haired swordsman left, leaving Ruby and Nico alone.

As he walked away, Ruby let out a heavy sigh. "Well," she muttered to herself. "Welcome to Beacon..."

"Are you alright?"

"H-huh?"

Nico gave her a strange look, unsure of whether or not it was worry or confusion. "You were at the epicenter of that explosion. I am asking if you are unhurt."

"Huh...oh...Oh yeah, I'm fine...my nose was just a little itchy. That's all."

"That's good. That type of dust is extremely volatile, it was fortunate that it was only a little cloud."

"S-seriously?!"

"Fire Dust is commonly used in explosives." Nico told her. "And raw Dust is more combustible than normal."

"So...you're saying that..."

"Yep. Any more, and little miss heiress would've been reduced to a charred husk."

Ruby visibly paled, her stomach dropping. "Oh... Oh crap!" she said, mortified. "Y-you mean I could have killed her?!"

"If you had," the tattooed boy shrugged his shoulders. "It would have been her fault, not yours."

"H-huh?"

"It's her fault for not having the dust vial closed properly. It was bound to happen."

"B-b-but...!"

"Don't worry about it. You're fine."

"Huuu..." Ruby still looked distressed by the whole thing. She sighed heavily, face-palming. "First day here, and I almost could have killed someone... and somebody important to boot!"

"She's hardly anybody important." Nico said dismissively. "As I said, don't worry about it. At any rate, Weiss Schnee did have a point. You're awfully young to be here... Did you jump ahead a few years?"

"T-two." she said bashfully. "And that's because of the headmaster."

"You mean Headmaster Ozpin?" Nico raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You must've done something pretty interesting to catch his attention."

'Well, if by interesting you mean taking on a wanted criminal, then yeah, I did.' Ruby was tempted to say, but kept her mouth quiet. The only people who really knew anything about that was that Huntress, Glynda Goodwitch, Ludger, Neo, and her older sister. "I guess..." she shrugged her shoulders. "Anyway, um..."

"Nico." he introduced himself. "Bodaveg, Nico."

"Ah, okay Nico..." she nodded. "Why did you come to Beacon?"

"I can here to forge a path for myself. I wanted to live a life forged by my own hands, not one set before me."

Ruby couldn't help but gawk. "W-wow... that's... really deep."

"Most people often tell me that when I tell them." Nico said, smiling somewhat. "I want to follow what I hold to be true, rather than being told like some obedient dog."

"Huh... Oh, forgot! I didn't introduce myself!" the girl chided herself, lightly bopping herself on the head. "My name's Ruby! Ruby Rose!"

"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Rose."

"Please, Ruby's fine, Nico!"

"Then it's a pleasure to meet you Ruby." Nico smiled.

"So... Um..."

"Let me guess, you wish to see what I wield?"

Ruby giggled bashfully. "Am I that easy to read?"

The teen said nothing as he produced his weapons to her.

The gloves on his hands unfolded and bulked up, forming red, plated gauntlets.

Ruby's face lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Those are...they look...so awesome!" She gushed.

"Thank you. I call them, Gaea Endless Break."

Ruby carefully held them in her hands, remembering that they were still attached to Nico's hands. With amazing dexterity, she moved the fingers around and examined it from top to bottom, from the seams to the gaps in the armor.

"What...are they...? I've never seen anything like these before...!"

"I crafted them myself." Nico informed her. "Like any Huntsman would. Although, I will admit this much, the plating was a hassle to forge properly."

"I can definitely see that..." Ruby said as he examined it. "Neuron Carbon Plating, mixed with... Platinum Steel? Dang, that stuff's almost impossible to get your hands on!"

"I was lucky. My caretaker actually had just the material I needed to forge these. I owe him a lot."

"That is so awesome! So what do they do?"

Nico smirked. "Let me show you..."

He imbued his aura into his gauntlets. Immediately a transparent barrier formed around them.

"Whoa..."

Nico nodded at her star-struck expression. "While most prioritize on offense with gauntlets, I rely more on solid defense. After all, even a shield can be used as a battering ram."

He then focused more aura on the shield itself. Before their eyes, even more protective layers formed over the already present barrier.

"For example."

He gently pulled away from Ruby's grasp, clenched his fists, and then slammed his hand down.

The layered crashed to the ground, breaking apart the stone walkway with tremendous force. Rubble flew around him and countless cracks raced across the earth. All the while, neither of his hands were physically touching the ground.

Ruby gawked at the sight, eyes wide in amazement while Nico dusted off his gauntlets off, capping his hands before they reverted back to their glove-like state. "I trust this demonstration was satisfactory?"

The red hooded girl mutely nodded, her jaw gaping in amazement.

"I suggest you close your mouth, lest you want any stray bugs flying in."

Ruby snapped out of it, shaking her head before grinning. "Wow, that is so cool!" she gushed. "I hope everyone has awesome weapons like yours!"

"Out of curiosity, Miss Ruby..." Nico wondered aloud. "What weapon do you employ?"

The girl grinned as she took out a red contraption of some kind. "Watch this~"

In the next second, it extended, becoming a long, mechanical, crimson red scythe.

She swung the red Reaver of death around before slamming it onto the ground, the tip of the blade breaking stone.

"...Whoa..."

"Meet my sweetheart," Ruby grinned. "The Crescent Rose!"

"Amazing...!" Nico immediately went up to the magnificent weapon, analyzing every single detail of it. "A transformable scythe capable of changing into a customizable high impact sniper rifle. With this, you would be able to use fired rounds as a means to increase force and momentum! Did you really forge this yourself?"

"Yep!" Ruby smiled. "Although, my uncle Qrow helped me out with it. The rifle was kind of a pain to fit into it, but it was totally worth it!"

"Hm..." Nico carefully tilted the scythe in his hand, examining the tip of the barrel. "You're quite enthusiastic."

"E-eh?"

"You must have spent countless days, months, and maybe a year worth of designing it..." the tanned teen said. "And the scythe shows you don't have any fear for anything that tries to strike at you. Although... the rifle barrel shows that you are rather socially awkward, preferring to watch from a distance rather than approach them directly. Also, the amount of time you have spent working your weapon shows that, to you, understanding people is to try and understand their weapons."

"Wh...wh...what...?...Really...?" Ruby questioned wide eyed. She never really thought of it like that before.

"You can be surprised how much you can learn about people just from examining their weapon. You could learn bits of their personality, their strengths, specialties, etc." Nico shrugged.

"W-wow..." the girl blinked. "T-that's... amazing."

"I have a bad habit of seeing people through their weapons' eyes."

"What do you mean...?"

"I just prefer to associate with weapons rather than with people. I feel more comfortable around weapons, which is why I tend to see others through them."

"Well, I don't think it's a bad habit at all...I think it's pretty cool."

Nico raised an eyebrow. "You... believe so?"

"Mmhm!"

"Th...thank you...not many people actually thought of it as such...most think that it is an awkward trait." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"I don't think so!" Ruby shook her head with a grin. "Then again, I'm kind of a weapon freak myself, so I guess we're kinda alike in that regard?"

Nico chuckled. "Perhaps... At any rate, we should probably go find the main hall."

"Oh yeah, that's right! My sister's probably there already!" She turned around to run to the Main Hall...but then realized that she had no clue where it is. Nico noticed this.

"...You don't know where the main hall is, do you..."

Ruby only smiled sheepishly, her cheeks tinted red. Nico sighed, but smiled nonetheless. "Well then," he said. "This will be quite the adventure."

XXXXXXXXXX

It was a sad thing to admit, but... he was going to say it anyway.

"I am so freaking lost..."

A depressed teen sighed to himself. He had a mop of messy blonde hair and bright, blue eyes. He was garbed in a white breastplate and pauldrons over a black hoodie with an orange interior. He had orange wristbands that reached up to his elbows with black lines forming an X over each of them. He also had brown, fingerless gloves with metal bands on the back of the hand. Around his waist were two brown belts and a single sheathed sword at his left hip. He also wore blue, torn jeans and black boots. The young man's name is Jaune Arc.

He had been traversing through the massive campus for well over ten minutes, with no sign of where he was or even where the main hall was. Why did this have to happen on the first day...?

Technically speaking, Jaune was not supposed to be at Beacon. The only real training he had came from his old man teaching him everything there was to know about combat. The training sessions left many a bruise and scars, but none he wore without pride. And while he had not been 'technically accepted' into Beacon, he was glad to be standing on it's grounds.

Although, he wished he could have known how big the campus was. It was absolutely gigantic!

A sigh escaped Jaune, running a hand through his blonde hair. "Where the heck is that damned main hall?"

"It's right over there!"

"Oh, thanks... Wait, huh?"

Jaune looked over his shoulder to see a young girl standing behind him, a large grin stretched across her face, and wearing a shirt that was obviously several sizes too large for her.

"Er... who are you?"

"I'm Cielo~" the girl greeted. "What's your name, mister?"

"Uh...my name is Jaune...Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue, and the ladies love it!" He reponded with some confidence.

"Oh? Do they really?" She grinned, slightly skeptical.

"Th-they will...at least...I hope they will..." His confidence deflated somewhat.

"I like it!"

"H-huh?" Jaune blinked. "Er, really?"

"Yep~ It sounds like a girl's name!"

And at that, the blonde hit the ground, face first in a comical manner.

"Wh-huh? A Girl's name...?"

"Yeppers! If you spell it a bit differently, it sounds like Joan!"

'W-well, technically speaking, she does have a point...' Jaune thought in exasperation. 'I mean, my ancestor's name WAS Joan Arc, b-but that's beside the point!'

"A-Anyway..." Jaune really wanted to change subjects. "Do you know where the main Hall is? I've been looking for a while now, but no luck."

"It's right over there!" Cielo pointed to the large building nearby. "Just head to the left, and viola!"

"Wow, really? I was closer than I thought I was...Thanks a lot, Cielo." Jaune smiled in gratitude.

"No problemo Jaune, see you around~" With an energetic wave, she skipped away.

The boy blinked rapidly, staring at her as she left. "...and here I thought my sister was chipper."

XXXXXXXXXX

When Ruby and Nico found the hall, it was packed with students.

"Wow...so many people..." Ruby looked amazed.

"It's to be expected." Nico mused. "Our airship wasn't the only one to dock here, these must be students from all over Remnant."

Ruby nodded at that. Everyone looked to be from various parts of Vale, and a few were foreign. She had even spotted a couple of Faunus. As she looked over the crowd, she found two familiar figures.

"Yang! Eden!"

Ruby called out, causing Nico to look over as well. The blue haired swordsman was immersed in lively conversation with the blonde bombshell. Both of them didn't even notice the silver eyed teen until a bit later.

"Oh Ruby! Over here! Eden and I saved you guys a spot!" She waved over.

The two walked over to them, though the red-hooded girl pouted. "What the heck, Yang?!" she snapped. "How could you just leave me like that?!"

"Well, you can't just rely on me to introduce you to people forever." the blonde said simply. "Besides, you got to meet this guy, didn't you?" she gestured to Nico. She licked her lips when she saw how well-toned he was. She had to admit, this guy was ripped... and he wasn't afraid to show off how sexy he looked. "Daaaaaamn boy, you are packing some serious heat!"

Nico frowned. "And what exactly do you mean by that?" he asked, clearly confused. Eden sighed, shaking his head. "She means your cute, you idiot. Seriously, do you not know proper slang?"

He shook his head. "No, I do not. Let us just say that, where I lived, I was quite sheltered..." A bitter expression came across his face. "More so, than others."

"...Alright then..." Eden backed away from the subject, now knowing it was something personal.

"So how did you meet Eden?" Ruby asked her sister.

"Eh, met each other while waiting for the headmaster to arrive." Yang shrugged, grinning. "And he's a killer to hang around!"

Ruby sweat-dropped. "Yang... w-was that a joke?"

"Oh, come on! You know it was good!"

Nico blinked. "That... was a joke?"

"Yeah it is. I mean...he's the Blue Devil."

"...I find your sense of humor difficult to understand..." Nico dead panned.

"Yang's sense of humor is just..." Ruby chuckled sheepishly. "Out of whack?"

"Hey!" came the indignant remark. "I resent that!"

"Whatever... Anyway, you are horrible!" the girl snapped at her older sister. "You totally left me out to dry! I almost blew up my face! ...and quite possibly could have killed an heiress!"

"Oh, please, your exaggerating!"

Ruby was about to reply when she heard a familiar, and shrill scream. "YOU!"

"AAH!" Ruby yelped as she leaped into the air, oddly landing in Nico's arms. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to blow you up!"

Yang blinked owlishly, staring at the enraged face of Weiss Schnee. "Whoaaaa, you weren't kidding when you said you blew up."

"Told you," Eden grinned. "She's crater girl."

"Oh my god you actually exploded..." Yang looked back to her sister with wide eyes.

"You're lucky you didn't blow us off the side of the cliff!" Weiss said angrily.

"You're lucky there wasn't enough dust in the air to cause serious harm." Nico spoke blandly.

"What was that?!" she rounded on him, eyes furious. Nico simply shrugged.

"If you had swung that vial around even more carelessly, you could have easily made the explosion bigger. In other words... it's mostly your fault."

"Why you little...!"

"It's true you know..." Eden intervened. "That was pretty sloppy of you to not make sure the vial was closed tightly. You can't just go blaming others for your mistakes. It's just immature and unbecoming..."

Weiss growled predatorily, looking close to roaring with anger. Ruby, however, only just now seemed to register what she was doing. As a result, her face exploded into a brilliant shade of red, a shade of crimson that surpassed even her Crescent Rose. Nico didn't seem to mind it at all, though he was quite surprised with how little she seemed to weigh. Yang, however grinned from ear to ear, whistling. "Daaaamn, little sis'," she teased. "Look at you, all bold."

"It-it-it's not like that!" Ruby blushed furiously as she jumped out of Nicos arms.

"Suuuuuuure it isn't." Yang grinned.

"Heh, look at you princess!" Eden harked with laughter. "You look like your gonna blow a gasket!"

"If I am," Weiss scowled heavily. "It's because of you!"

As this commotion became more chaotic, two figures slowly pushed through the mass of students, making their way to them. "R-Ruby, Yang!" Ludger's voice shouted at them, causing the two to pause and turn their heads to see the silver-haired teen, accompanied by Neo, approaching them. "There you guys are!"

"Ludger!" Ruby called back. "There you are! Where were you?! You just went-poof!" she gestured with her hands. "Like a magic trick gone wrong!"

"S-sorry!" the boy said in genuine apology. "Neo's power is kinda... unpredictable sometimes."

The multi-hair colored girl merely rolled her eyes.

"Don't you roll your eyes! You just left me! How could you be so cruel, Neo..!?" Ruby whined.

Neo didn't even so much as glance at her before scowling at the sight of Yang. The blonde merely grinned at her, greeting her with a hands up, all the while keeping her distance from the brawler. The last thing she needed was to be cuddled.

Nico and Eden looked between the newcomers and the people they had already met, curious as to who they are.

"Oh, yeah, let me introduce you guys." Ruby smiled. "Ludger, this is Nico and Eden! Nico, Eden, these are my best friends, Neo and Ludger!"

"Yo," the Blue Devil greeted, ignoring Weiss. "How's it hanging?"

"Nico Bodaveg." the tanned boy greeted, bowing. "It is a pleasure."

Neo merely nodded back.

Ludger smiled. "A pleasure to meet you both. My name is Ludger Kresnik. It's an honor."

"Wait...Kresnik..?" Eden paused in thought. "You wouldn't happen to be related to a man named Julius Kresnik, do you?"

"Uh, yeah...he's my older brother." Ludger nodded.

"Julius... I know that name." Nico said. "He's the highest ranking agent in the Spirius Corporation since the Victor agent."

"Yeah, that's him." he confirmed. "He taught me most of what I know before joining Signal."

"Wow...I guess you are even more prepared of any of us if that's the case. Still...the top agent of Spirius as your brother...you have some pretty big shoes to fill eventually..." Eden mused.

"Maybe...but I'm willing that take up that challenge."

"Hey!" Weiss cried out. "Pay attention to me, you brute!"

"Huh? Oh sorry about that. I forgot all about you."

"Why you...!"

Nico sighed. "Eden, quit antagonizing her. Having a Schnee for an enemy may not be the best idea."

"Oh, please Bodaveg," Eden rolled his eyes. "What could she possibly do?"

Weiss' face became red with anger. "You ingrate! I could... wait," the white-haired girl frowned when she turned to the tanned boy. "Did you say your name was Bodaveg?"

"Yes, it is... why do you ask?"

"You...you're from that line of distinguished Huntsmen!" Weiss exclaimed.

Nicos eyes narrowed in contempt.

"Wait..." Ruby tilted her head, completely taken for a loop. "Huh? What?"

"Ah, so that's why your name sounded so familiar." Eden tapped his fist into his hand. "Never woulda thought."

"Um... huh?" Yang frowned. "Can somebody explain for us?"

"Well, it's actually quite simple..." Eden started to explain. "Our dear friend Nico here is from a long line of Huntsmen that originated right after the Great War several decades ago."

"H-huh?!"

"The Bodavegs..." Weiss continued. "Are by far one of the most successful, as well as talented Hunters that Vale has ever produced. Sharp, resourceful, powerful, and adaptable... the ultimate soldier, as some call them."

Nico snorted in disgust. "You call them soldiers... when I think of my family as nothing more than heartless bastards."

"...What do you mean?" Eden was the one who asked, his eyes looking in question.

"...The Bodeveg family had always been warriors first, and people second. In the family, protecting humanity was their greatest priority."

"What does that mean?" Yang frowned. "I mean, sure, a Hunter and Huntress' job is to protect humanity, but, they couldn't have forgotten about family, right?"

Nico was about to answer when all the chatter in the auditorium ceased. Two figures walked at the head of the podium, one easily recognizable as Glynda Goodwitch. The second was a man in his early thirties, bearing cold gray hair and black glasses that drooped on his nose, dressed in a simple black jacket and slacks with a green scarf around his neck, and a walking stick in hand.

"Is that..." Ludger looked at the man closely. "...the headmaster?"

"Yep, that's him!" Ruby nodded. "That's Professor Ozpin!"

"Ssh, quiet!" Weiss scolded her. "He's going to make a speech."

Ozpin scanned the auditorium, as if surveying the crowd. Eventually, his eyes found Ludger.

'He...truly does look like...It is as if I were back in the past...'

The Headmaster's eyes shone briefly of sorrow and nostalgia. But it all vanished a split second later. None of the students noticed this...but Glynda Goodwitch, the one who stood next to him, had.

The silver haired man opened his mouth to speak. "Ahem...I'll keep this brief. You have traveled here today in search of knowledge. To hone your craft and acquire new skills. And when you finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you and all I see is wasted energy. In need of purpose, direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far...It is up to you to take the first step."

Neo whistled. "Not one to mince words..." she muttered quietly, with Ludger nodding in agreement.

Ozpin then proceeded to walk off the stage, allowing Glynda to step up in his place. "You will gather in the ballroom tonight. Tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready. You are dismissed."

And with that, the two experienced Hunters left, leaving a bunch of bewildered students behind. Ruby, on her part, looked more confused than anything else. "It... could be just me, but... did it seem like he was out of it?"

"No, I agree..." Ludger spoke. "It almost felt like he wasn't really there."

"Maybe he wasn't on caffeine?" Eden offered. The group just stared at him. "What? Just saying!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"...You know," Glynda spoke up behind him as she pushed up her glasses. "I believe that it is the first time I ever saw that look in your eye before."

The two were walking through a corridor that led to the elevator up to his office, but Ozpin stopped when Glynda had finished speaking. The grip on his cane tightened to the point of his knuckles turning white, an action rarely done.

The silver haired headmaster took in a deep breath before sighing.

"...a certain young man was in that room." he answered, rather tense. "A... special young man."

Glynda frowned. "And who might this young man be?"

"...A man known as Ludger Will Kresnik...the one who Julius stated was his younger brother..."

At this, the blonde woman's eyes widened immensely. "J-Julius's brother...?!" She nearly dropped her riding crop out of shock.

"Yes...and he looked...exactly like a certain misguided young man all those years ago..." Ozpin could barely keep out the emotion in his voice.

"B-but..." Glynda tried to compose herself, her hands trembling uncontrollably. "T-that is not possible. Julius is an only child, a-and his mother was killed..." Her eyes widened, and her face paled. "Oh, no... Don't tell me..."

Ozpin shook his head.

"...No...while it is true that Ludger and Julius do share blood...they are not true siblings...He...he had HER eyes Glynda..."

Glynda could scarcely believe what she was hearing. They...weren't true siblings? Th-then...that means...Left bewildered and eyes left in disbelief, but remained as composed as possible.

"...then, does he...?"

Ozpin pulled out what appeared to be a golden pocketwatch from his pocket, holding it by the chain. "Before Ludger came here, Julius came by and gave me this." he said. "This itself tell us our suspicions."

"...I see..." Glynda nodded in understanding, slightly relieved of the news. But that didn't erase her anxiety completely. "...But if that was the case, then it is only a matter of time before he comes to learn of this?"

"That is correct..."

Glynda was silent for a while before answering again. "...does HE know about Ludger?"

"...no, he doesn't." Ozpin answered, his eyes narrowed into a glare. "And I hope he never does."

 **-Welcome to Beacon (Part 1): END-**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

" _ **Never let anyone tell you something is impossible." –Monty Oum.**_

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Next Time: Welcome to Beacon (Part 2)!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Co-Written with Demons Anarchy of Pride. The creator of many fantastic masterpieces such as: Fire Emblem: Eternity Unto Reformation, Code Geass: Lelouch of the R-eset, The Crow: DxD, Highschool, DxD: Shatter Destiny, RWBY's Reaper, Code Geass: The Miraculous Birthday, Fractured Reality, Code Geass: Suzaku of the Counterattack, Devil Survivor: Destiny Rewind, and some of his new projects, such as Lagrange 111: You Are (Not) Alone, Tokyo Ghoul: A Flowered Colored Darker Than Black, Persona 4: The Unseen Truth, Monarch, Kill the Deadly Sin, Code Geass: The Butterfly Effect, and DxD: Final.**

 **I highly recommend you check them all out.**

 **I really appreciate your help, man. Couldn't have done this without ya!**

 **Thank you to all who continue to support this story.**

 **Also…..ALL FLAMES CAN JUST BURN IN HELL!(Like Mercury, Emerald, Cinder, and Roman after the crap they pulled in Episode 9 of Volume 3!)...So don't even bother.**

 **Otherwise…..ENJOY!**

 **XXXXXXXXXXX**

 **Chapter 2: Welcome to Beacon(Part 2)**

After the announcement had taken place, all the future students gathered in the ball room to rest for the big day tomorrow. They had changed into sleepwear and took this time to mingle among their peers. Well, most of them. There were others that kept to themselves.

Namely, a certain white-haired grumpy heiress, and a black-haired girl with golden eyes.

Other than that, the group of teenagers that met one another today were gathered in the same area.

Ruby was lying flat on her stomach, a small parchment of paper in front of her, and a pen in one hand while the other kept the paper still. She was clad in her sleepwear consisting of a black tank top and white pajama pants wit red rose petals. A sleeper mask was tied around her head. "Hey, Ruby." Yang greeted her as she walked up from behind. Her own sleep attire was a simple yellow tank top and black short shorts. "What'cha doin'?"

The silver eyed girl looked up from the piece of stationery. "Just writing a letter to my friends back at Signal. I promised to tell them all about Beacon and how things are going."

"Awww...that's so cuuuuuute..." Yang teased.

"Shut up!" A pillow was thrown in her face.

Eden chuckled as he tossed a cracker in his mouth. He was dressed in a dark blue tank top with gray shorts, and a nightcap atop his head. "You two are pretty close." he commented. "Been meaning to ask something, though... You guys have two different surnames, but you said your sisters... step siblings?"

"Nope. Half sisters." Yang answered as she lifted the pillow off her face. "We have different mothers..."

"Ah" Eden nodded. "Cool."

"Speaking of parents," Ludger's eyes lit up with interest as he looked at the blue-haired teen. He was dressed in a tight black t-shirt and baggy pajama bottoms. Neo was right next to him, dressed in a long sleeved, hooded pink top and white short shorts. Her hood was up and showed to have kitten ears. "What are yours like, Eden?"

Eden's expression was somber for a brief moment, but then it back to a normal one. This went unnoticed by most, all except for Nico.

"Well...my mother is a very nice woman...while my dad is...a bit on the eccentric side. Nevertheless, he is a good a man and does great at what he does. As a matter of fact, he's an instructor here at Beacon."

"Really? What's his name?"

"Maes Hughes."

"Hughes?" Ruby frowned. "And what do you mean by eccentric?"

Eden rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, he's a hardcore-"

"EDEN MY BOY! HOW'S IT GOING?!"

The blue haired teen flinched as he recognized the voice. Slowly and shakily, he turned around to face the entrance. At the door way was a middle aged man with a tall and lean stature. He had a thin chin strap of scruffy beard on his face with jovially spiky black hair ending with a forelock. A pair of rectangular spectacles at in front of his hazel eyes. He was garbed in a dark, sharp suit with a burgundy dress shirt. His face was set in a jolly grin.

"H-hey..."

The rest of the teenagers could only stare at the exchange of words. Who was this man. In a flash, Hughes had moved from the door to the spot next to Eden.

"I heard you managed to snuck in!" the man said, a large grin on his face. "You should've told me! I would have greeted you!"

"And in turn, blab about the tyke." Eden replied bluntly. "Actually, what are you even doing here? Shouldn't you be preparing for classes?"

The man merely smirked as he pushed up his glasses. "Already been taken care of! I've got Oobleck and Port doing the work!"

The group could only sweat-drop at his words. 'In other words,' they all thought, 'He's being lazy.'

"Anyway..." the man turned to the group. "Who're your friends?"

"These are people I met on the airship and at the ceremony. This is Nico, Yang, Ruby, Ludger, and Neo." He gestured to each of his new acquaintances as he introduced them.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet all of you!" Hughes smiled.

"So..." Nico tilted his head. Oddly enough, he was the only one not dressed for bed. "Your Eden's father?"

Hughes chuckled. "Not really. I'm more like his guardian." He smirked. "And the one that keeps him from getting into trouble."

"Speak for yourself, old man." Eden snarked. "I can still kick your ass."

"So says the one who got his non-existent prosterior beaten down in under ten second."

"That was a cheap shot!" he growled. "A cheap shot!"

"Haha! Kepp telling yourself that my boy!" He ruffled his hair. Eden swatted his hand away. "Anyway, I wish you all luck on your Initiation. This year, Ozpin has a doozy of a task for you all."

Ruby's eyes lit up, shooting from her spot. "R-really?!" she asked, stars twinkling in her eyes. "What's the headmaster got planned?!"

"I'm afraid you'll have to find out, kiddo." Hughes told her, much to her disappointment. "By the way..." Eden groaned when he saw his hand slip into his coat pocket, face-palming.

"Oh, for the love of...!"

It was too late. Hughes had already pulled out the slip of paper from his pocket. He showed it to the rest of Eden's friends, a huge smile on his face. "What do you all think of my beloved wife Gracia and my precious little daughter Elicia?"

The group had mixed reactions, but they were stunned by the sudden dotting attitude Hughes displayed. Nico merely gave it a glance before going back to doing push-ups, and Yang whistled, commenting on his wife's good looks, much to the man's joy. Neo merely gave it a glance, and went back to bed.

As for Ludger and Ruby...

"SHE'S SOOOOOOO CUUUUUUUUUTE~!" Ruby squealed in delight.

"I agree…" Ludger nodded, somewhat blushing from seeing how beautiful Gracia was.

Eden groaned. "Do you HAVE to show off Gracia and the tyke to everybody you meet?"

"Hey! I am a family man! I feel it my mission to show to others the beauty and joy of having a family!" He argued.

The boy groaned. "You know what? Forget it. I'm heading to bed."

Ludger chuckled as he scratched his cheek, watching Eden storm off somewhere. "Seems like you two have quite the father/son relationship." he noted.

The man merely smiled. "Well, I wouldn't say that... but I do think of him like he were my son." he said. "Actually, can I ask you kids a favor? It'd be great if you could watch out for him every once in a while."

"What do you mean?" Yang questioned. In contrast to before, Hughes' expression grew somber.

"...Even though I'm his guardian, I can't keep an eye on his all the time due to my teaching duties here. If it's not too much trouble, can you watch over him in my place?"

Ludger nodded. "We can do what we can."

"Heh, thanks." Hughes said, smiling again. "By the by, your name is Ludger, right? You wouldn't happen to be related to a kid named Julius Kresnik, would you?" Ludger nodded. "Hah, thought so! You know, back when he was a student here, he would brag about you all the time! Something about you being a helluva cook?"

"Really? You can cook, Ludger?" Nico asked as he stopped mid-push up.

"Hehe...I dabble in it."

"Dabble? Really? You're cooking is so good, I could've sworn you were the head chef of a renowned restaurant!" Yang laughed.

"Yeah!" Ruby agreed. "Those cookies you made one time were soooooooo gooooooood!"

"Well, wasn't like I had much choice." the silver-haired teen replied. "Julius didn't even know how to cook, much less clean, so I had to do all the chores around the house."

"Wow, so I guess you're the caretaker of the family huh?" Yang elbowed him in the ribs.

"Well, Neo helps out as well."

"Eh?" The blonde brawler blinked. "Eh?! Wait, does she live with you guys?!"

"Yeah. Why?" Ludger asked simply. Neo looked on and stared.

Ruby and Yang simply stared at the two, their reactions varying. The former's face slowly turned scarlet red while the other had a mischievous grin on her face. Neo narrowed her eyes and sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, and made air quotes.

'Perverts.'

"W-wait, what?! N-no! Nononono! It's not like that!" Ludger denied, his face bright scarlet, finally catching on to what they were implying.

"Then what is it?" Ruby asked, her face still red. "You two are living together! Under the same roof! That sounds suspicious!"

"Ah! W-well..." How was Ludger going to explain this?!

"Well lover-boy? Care to explain?" Yang teased.

"Er, w-well, that's...!" he tried to explain, but he was unable to form a proper response. How was he supposed to explain this?!

"..." Seeing Ludger so flustered, Neo sighed and chose to answer for him. "...He and his brother became my family."

"E-eh?" Ruby blinked. "What does that mean?" Ludger and Neo shifted slightly, uncomfortable with the subject. "Doesn't Neo live with... Oh." The silence and expression on heir faces told her everything, and became uncomfortable. "I-I'm sorry, we didn't mean to..."

"No. It's fine. Don't worry about it..." Ludger waved it off, calming down gradually.

"Huh..." Yang gave a brief nod. She knew when to pry, and when not to. Besides, it wasn't as if they weren't in a similar situation. Ruby had lost her own mother, and Yang... she wasn't sure where hers was. "So... you guys done the deed yet?"

"GODDAMMIT YANG!" Ludger shouted out, the blush on his face renewed.

Neo's cheeks went brought red at the very thought. She pulled her hood down over her face. While she may have had fantasies of Ludger kissing her... she never went THAT far!

"S-sis!" Ruby yelped in embarrassment.

"Oh, come on!" Yang grinned lecherously. "A boy and a girl, living under the same roof... childhood friends no less," she wriggled her eyebrows at them. "That's just asking for something to happen."

"Oh?" Nico raised an eyebrow, pausing as he lifted his body up, having moved over to curl-ups. "You two are childhood friends?"

"Y-yeah..." Ludger nodded, his face still red.

"So how did the two of you meet?" Hughes asked, the group now remembering that he was still there.

"Well..."

XXXXXXXXXX

 _A young Ludger Will Kresnik was walking through the streets with a bag of groceries in his hand. He needed ingredients to make dinner since his brother was going to be coming home late. He planned to make pasta margarita for him._

 _But upon seeing the amount of people bustling through the side walk, he decided to take a shortcut home. So he made a right between two buildings._

 _He had been through this alley so many times. There never anyone here, aside from the occasionally stray cat or dog looking for a meal. However, he failed to properly watch his step and tripped over something. The bag fell out of his hands and its contents spilled out. The young boy cursed, but was grateful that the ingredients he needed were properly packaged. He looked to what he stumbled over, but soon gave pause._

 _It was a leg. More specifically, it was the leg of a young girl around his age. She had the most unique hair color he had ever seen. It was a mix of pink, brown, with a bit of white. However, upon closer inspection, Ludger noticed that she was unconscious and had hallowed cheeks, signifying she was malnourished. The only thing that covered her petite frame were a bundle of rags and tattered clothes._

 _"What in the world is she doing here...?" he wondered aloud, clearly worried. Being raised by Julius for most of his life, the man taught him to be a caring child. Seeing someone like her, it caused some concern for him. He was sure his older brother might be angry, but... he couldn't just leave her here. With that in mind, he picked up his groceries, as well as the girl, slinging her up on top of her back._

 _"I really hope Julius doesn't mind..." He murmured to himself as he trekked his way home. The girl was much lighter than he thought._

 _When he arrived home, Julius was nowhere to be found. Attached to the fridge was a small note, stating that he wouldn't be home until tomorrow, due to having a job to complete. Ludger knew his brother might possibly be angry with him bringing home a stranger, but what was he supposed to do? He couldn't just leave her be, now could he?_

 _That said, he put her down on the couch, and immediately went to work on dinner._

 _A while later, he finished making his specialty pasta margarita and some soup. He set a plate down for him for later and set some aside for his guest. He gently nudged her to wake her up to eat._

 _When she awoke, he saw that her eyes were like her hair: one brown, and one pink. What was even stranger was that they seemed to shift from one color to another every time she blinked._

 _After taking a few moments for her vision to focus, she immediately shot up fearfully, panicked by her new surroundings. Her eyes soon fell on the young white haired boy._

 _"Uh...hello..." He greeted her._

 _He was a bit nervous when she glared at him. What was going to happen now? Would she try to attack him? He wouldn't blame her He'd do the same in her situation. Although... he was a bit mesmorized by her eyes. He had never seen such a unique shift of colors before._

 _Before either child could really do anything, a loud grumble echoed through the house. The girl immediately looked down, and wrapped her arms around her stomach, but it did no good, as the rumbling continued. A pink hue tickled her cheeks._

 _"Ahaha...I'm guessing you're pretty hungry..." Ludger chuckled weakly, causing the girl to glare at him once more. But the young boy moved over to the table and grabbed the plate of food for her. "Here. Have some."_

 _The girl glared at him in suspicion, eyes narrowed, and then looked down at the food. Ludger smiled sheepishly when he realized that she must have thought it was poison. He took his fork and dug it into her food, wrapping up some of the noodles before pulling it out, and slipping it into his mouth. The girl blinked in surprise of the action, while Ludger merely swallowed the food and grinned. "See? Nothing wrong with it." he told her. "Oh, I'm Ludger!"_

 _The girl looked at him before looking back to her food. Understanding what she was thinking, Ludger handed her a fork._

 _She gingerly took it from him with some hesitance, and then slipped it into the pasta._

 _She took a big scoop of the sauce-covered noodles and tentatively put them in her mouth. Her eyes widened from the explosion of flavor._

 _Immediately, stars exploded in her eyes. Ludger grinned. "Do you like it?" he asked. In response, the girl began to shove the pasta into her mouth. He couldn't help but laugh when she started to cough when she began to swallow more than what she could, a result of eating far too quickly._

 _"Easy there. There's plenty more where that came from, so no need to hurry." He assured her as he handed her a glass of water._

 _The girl graciously accepted it, gulping down the water before lowering it, letting out a sigh of relief._

 _"There. Feel better?" She nodded._

 _He continued to watch her as she fed herself, going through two plates worth of food. He had even given her his own share, and set Julius' off to the side for when he came home. In the meantime, he went to his room and grabbed a few spare clothes for her, even if they were a few sizes too big, and some blankets. She was in no condition to be living out on the streets, and he sure as hell wasn't about to let her argue. If she made any protests, he didn't let her make any._

 _By the time he re-entered the room, she had polished off another plate of food._

 _"Wow," he chuckled as he set the blankets and clothes aside. "You must have been really hungry."_

 _The girl looked at him then blushed slightly._

 _"Don't worry about it. It's fine. You were hungry after all."_

 _"...nks..."_

 _"Hm?" Ludger looked at her. For a moment he could've sworn her heard her say..._

 _"...aid, thanks." the girl whispered quietly, her voice so soft and quiet. "It... was good."_

 _"Thank you. I'm glad you liked it."_

 _He couldn't help but blush, scratching the back of his head. Other than Julius, she was the first one that really complimented him on his cooking. The girl smiled at him, though she was also blushing, smiling bashfully._

 _The two didn't know what to say to the other after that, making awkward silence._

 _"S-so... um..." he started out. "I-I'm Ludger. Oh, wait, I already told you that." he chuckled nervously. "S-so... what's your name?"_

 _"..." The girl looked down...and shook her head._

 _"...I'm sorry?"_

 _"...don't have one..."_

 _Ludger blinked "You... don;t have one?" he whispered in shock. How could a person not have a name? Moreover, where were her parents?_

 _The girl shook her head no. Her eyes showed pain._

 _"...I-I see." he lowered his head "I-I'm sorry... I didn't mean to..."_

"… _s fine…"_

 _Ludger wasn't sure what he was supposed to say now. She didn't have a name, and she didn't have a place to go to... What should he do?_

 _He paused to think. If she didn't have a name...then this would be difficult._

 _...Wait...Wait that's it! Maybe he can give her a name!_

 _"Did you..." he said slowly. "Want a name?"_

 _The girl blinked, turning to him in surprise. Then, she nodded._

 _"Okay." He nodded. "How about..." He had to think this carefully, a good name that she would like. As he thought of this, his eyes were still trained on her hair. It reminded him of something..._

 _...honestly speaking, it reminded her of ice cream._

 _More specifically, Neapolitan ice cream._

 _A light bulb flashed above his head. "How about... Neo?" he offered. The girl gave him a quizzical look, tilting her head. "It's short for Neapolitan."_

 _"...N...eo..." the girl repeated, the name flowing smoothly off of her tongue. "Neo..." she repeated again, a smile forming on her face. "I like it."_

 _"That's good." Ludger said relieved. She finally had a name._

XXXXXXXXXX

"Wait, so..." Yang tilted her head. "Ludger was the one who gave you a name?"

Neo nodded.

"Wow...That is some story." Nico said as he was in the middle of doing planks.

"Yeah..." Ruby nodded in agreement.

"What a tale." Hughes said, pushing up his glasses. "I'm amazed!"

"It's not that amazing...really..." Ludger rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Uh-huh..." Yang smirked. "Suuuuuuuure... Whatever you say, loverboy."

"So..." Ruby tilted her head. "How did Julius take Neo being with you?"

"Well..." Ludger grimaced.

XXXXXXXXXX

 _"...Ludger..." A young man spoke to the white haired youth. He had short brown hair that was styled back neatly, and dressed in a formal outfit, a black buttoned vest over a buttoned shirt underneath, a white coat, and pine-strip black slacks, complete with white, sleek shoes. Sitting on the bridge of his nose was thin-rimmed rectangular glasses. The lenses held a white glare, preventing his eyes from being visible._

 _"...yes brother?"_

 _"...Tell me why there is a young girl in this house wearing your clothes."_

 _Neo was sitting at the dining room table, a plate of food in front of her as she ate at it. She looked much better than she did the other night. More muscle had been formed from his thin limbs and sunken cheeks, creating a healthy complexion of her skin. Ludger had made a slight modification for the dinner he made the other night, having read a recipe for something like this._

 _"W-well, I found her on the street, a-and she was in bad shape..." Ludger tried to explain, shaking under the intensity of the gaze his brother was giving him. "A-and I couldn't just leave her be, so-so I..."_

 _Julius sighed, pushing up his glasses. The glare disappeared, revealing sharp brown eyes. "Ludger, I know I taught you to be the sort of person to care about others..." he said in exasperation. "But taking someone off the street? Without even knowing who they are? Last time I checked, human beings are not stray animals you can just take home with you."_

 _"I know...I'm sorry..." Ludger frowned dejectedly. What was he to do? He couldn't just leave her there to die._

 _"Haa...It's alright." The bespectacled man placed a hand on his shoulder. "Just...promise me you'll be more careful from now on, alright?"_

 _"Hai..."_

 _"In the meantime..." Julius looked at Neo, who had ignored him entirely and focused on the meal in front of her. "Have you figured out what your gonna do with her?"_

 _"Er, well..." Lduger chuckled nervously. "I was... kinda hoping you'd let Neo stay here..."_

 _"...okay, first of all, Neo?"_

 _"Short for Neapolitan. She said she didn't have a name, so we decided on one."_

 _"Second of all..."_

 _"Please, Julius!" Ludger begged. "She doesn't have anywhere else to go!"_

 _The man gave him a flat stare, arms folded over his chest. "...Ludger, I already said this much. Human beings are not strays."_

 _"B-but..."_

 _Neo swallowed the last of her plate of food, sighing in content before she placed it back on the table, and left the chair. As this was her actual first time noticing his presence, she raised an eyebrow, and looked at Ludger. She tugged at his shirt, pulling him closer. The man raised an eyebrow as she whispered something in his ear._

 _"Wh-wha? Neo?" The white haired youth asked back. "Are you sure? But..."_

 _Now Julius was curious._

 _The girl simply gave a nod. Ludger still looked unsure, but complied._

 _The white haired youth turned to face his brother._

 _"...well?"_

 _"H-how do I explain this... Um... Julius?"_

 _"Yes?"_

 _The bespectacled teen was now growing anxious. What did that girl tell him?_

 _"W-well, um..." Ludger tried to state the words, but he just couldn't find the right way to say it. "H-how do I..."_

 _Neo sighed, shaking her head. It seemed like Ludger was too flustered, or rather, anxious or nervous, whichever one preferred. Instead, she decided to speak on Ludger's behalf, looked at Julius dead in the eye. Finally, she spoke._

 _"...no freeloading."_

 _Julius looked at her quizzically. "I'm sorry?"_

 _"No. Freeloading." Neo repeated, this time louder._

 _Julius then looked at his brother, who shrugged. "...She doesn't want to be a burden."_

 _The man looked skeptical. "And what exactly can she do?"_

 _Neo gave the man a smirk._

 _In the next second, Neo's body vanished in a burst of white light, causing the two to blink. It took a moment for the event to register, and fittingly became bewidlered._

 _"N-Neo?! Where did you-?"_

 _"Ow!" Julius yelped as he was nudged forward, a sharp pain hitting at his back. "What in the...?" He looked over his shoulder to see Neo standing behind him, holding a folded-up, blue umbrella in her hands, and the smirk still on her face._

 _"How did you-?" But before Julius could finish, Neo vanished again. This time, the bespectacled man felt something hit his leg. He looked down, and it was the same tri-colored haired girl._

 _Ludger blinked, rubbing his eyes to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. She was still standing there, smirk and all. "W-when did she...?!"_

 _"...I take it that is your semblance?" Julius questioned the girl, now realizing what just happened._

 _Neo nodded. Ludger's jaw dropped. It was a stated fact that every person, at some point in time, develops a unique ability that is exclusive only to them. In order to develop this ability, this semblance, they must first unlock their aura, and train extensively. And, yet... Neo looked around the same age as him! And she had a semblance?!_

 _"...Well, that's quite the demonstration," Julius remarked, pushing up his glasses. "But what does that have to with you staying here?"_

 _She waved at him to lend her his ear. Curious, he lowered himself down, allowing the girl to whisper something in his ear._

 _"Hm?" Julius raised an eyebrow in question. "What do you mean...?"_

 _Ludger was now the one curious._

 _The girl continued to whisper in his ear. Ludger wanted to listen in, but he was a bit to afraid to overhear, given who she was speaking with. Julius appeared to have a solemn expression, but then it soon shifted into a stern serious. The girl leaned back, allowing the man to stand back up. "...well." he said, pushing up his glasses, creating a slight glare to them. "With an argument like that, I can't really refuse, now can I?"_

 _Ludger tilted his head in confusion, looking at Neo, who had a smile on her face as she hopped next to him, and then back at Julius. "Um... what's going on?"_

 _"Your..." he hesitated slightly, as if pondering on what to say. "...friend," he decided. "Made a compelling argument. So, she'll be staying with us."_

 _"Really?!" Ludger looked at the petite girl in bewilderment. Just what did she say in order to get Julius to change his mind?_

 _Neo looked back at him and gave him a thumbs up._

 _Julius nodded. "Yep. Although... you are aware we don't have guest rooms, right?"_

 _"Yeah... why should that matter-" he stopped mid-sentence, as the meaning behind those words finally registering, causing his eyes to widen. "...wait, you're not saying...!"_

 _"I am." He nodded sternly. "She will be sleeping in your room, Ludger. I trust you will the responsible and trustworthy boy I raised you to be, right?" The glare in his glasses was present again._

 _"W-wait, hold on!" he panicked, his face bright red. "Don't I get a say in this?!"_

 _Sadly, he received no form of reply, as Neo wrapped her arms around him, head rubbing against his shoulder. Julius smiled wryly at the sight while Ludger's face continued to brighten pink._

XXXXXXXXXX

"...wow," Yang commented. "You two got farther than most people."

"Dammit Yang, it's not like that at all!" Ludger snapped.

"How so?" Nico raised an eyebrow. "Your in the same room. Together. Alone. I think that speaks volumes on what that suggests."

"Come on!" the teen threw his hands up. "Not you too, Nico!"

"I'm just saying it like it is." The shirtless teen responded simply as he finished stretching.

"So..." Ruby turned to Neo curiously. "How exactly did you convince Julius to stay, Neo?"

"...told him I would be his body guard..." She answered simply.

The petite girl frowned in confusion. "...bodyguard?"

"Well, seems like you kids have a lot of fun these days." Hughes chuckled. "I'll be getting out of your hairs now. You all take care!"

Before the man could leave, however, he suddenly yelped when he was violently pulled by the ear.

However, Hughes froze mid step as he saw who was at the entrance. Cold sweat broke out on his face.

"Hughes...I believed I told you that no member of the faculty, under ANY circumstances, would be interacting with the entries BEFORE Initiation!" An irritated Glynda Goodwitch said as she pulled on his ear harder.

"P-please stop! I-I was just seeing my son!" He yelped.

"That is NO excuse!" In response to his words, she tugged harder, causing him to scream in pain. It also did not help matters as she dragged him away, much to the bewilderment of the group, as well as those watching.

"Well...saw this one coming..." Eden muttered from his bed as he watched his guardian being forcibly removed from the room.

"And you and I need to have a long discussion as to why you pushed your duties onto Professor Oobleck and Professor Port." She added.

"I-I'd explain if you would stop yanking at me ear!"

Hughes was pulled out of the halls, leaving everyone who saw it stand in confusion. "What..." Nico asked. "Just happened?"

"I...I have no clue." Ludger shook his head.

"...He got scolded." Neo responded.

"W-well..." Ruby laughed nervously. "He seemed like a nice man."

"More like eccentric." Yang commented as she looked around the room. "Still... not a lot of cute boys around here." She paused when she saw a boy walking over to what she presumed to be his bed. What was comical about him was the fact that he was wearing a full-body pair of light blue pajamas. "...nooooooot touchin' that one."

"...That guy is just asking to get beaten up." Nico commented as he saw the boy for himself.

"I don't know...those pajamas look cozy." Ruby said.

"Speaking of cozy..." Ludger glanced over to the corner of the room, seeing a girl resting in what looked like a self-fashioned hammock, an arm and leg hanging out, a giant grin on her face while her blue hair fell off to the side. Her attire was little more than what looked like a costume fashioned to look like a penguin. "Is it just my imagination, or is that girl dressed up like a penguin?"

They others followed his line of vision...and all of them agreed.

"No...she is a penguin..." Neo nodded. She understood the onesie, but what was with the penguin costume? And where did she get the hammock?

"Well, I suppose there's different preferences." Nico said as he turned back around, and out of the corner of his eye, found a familiar sight. "Hey, Ruby... isn't that the girl from before?"

"Huh? What girl?" The red haired teen turned her head and finally noticed the black haired girl that came to her rescue earlier that day. She was dressed in a dark gray yukata that ended mid-thigh, but still kept the black bow on her head. She was currently reading a book.

"Who's she?" Yang asked curiously. The tattooed teen shrugged. "Someone we met briefly... and had the balls to tell off the youngest daughter of the CEO of the Schnee Company."

"Wait, really?" Ludger questioned in surprise. Neo on the other hand held the girl in a sense of respect for what she did.

"Yeah."

Yang whistled. "Damn," she grinned. "Sounds like my kinda gal. Come on, Rubes!"

"W-wait what?! Where are we going?!" She panicked as her sister dragged her by the hand.

"To go over and say hi to your new friend!" She answered simply.

"W-wait, hold on, time out!" Her words fell on deaf ears as she dragged her along, wanting to meet the mysterious black-haired girl. Ludger and Neo sweat dropped at the sight, while Nico raised an eyebrow.

"...does Xiao Long do this often?"

"More than you think." came Ludger's reply. "Anyway, I guess we should head for bed."

"I agree." Nico nodded. "We stayed up long enough as it is." He climbed into his sleeping bag.

Neo gave a soft yawn as she laid down on her blankets. Ludger himself plopped down on his makeshift bed, smiling as he closed his eyes. Tomorrow... tomorrow would be the day. The day when they would be official students at Beacon.

XXXXXXXXXX

Ozpin had been sipping at his coffee, looking at the latest report Qrow had sent him when the door to his office opened, revealing a very angry Glynda, and in her hand was the ear of one Maes Hughes. "Hello, Hughes." he greeted jovially. "Decided to see your little devil I take it?"

"He violated orders is what he did." the blonde growled, releasing the man from her grip, much to his relief. "Even worse, he left two Professors do HIS job in getting ready for classes."

"He was seeing his son, Glynda. You can't fault him for that."

"He neglected his responsibility! Even if it were to see his son, he could've been more discreet about it."

"Come now Glynda...since when has Hughes ever been discreet about his family?"

Glynda groaned, recalling full well just how extrubent the man was. No matter who it was, he would pester them about his family. While she found it endearing, it grated on her nerves some days. "Even still..."

"Although," Ozpin continued, taking a quick sip of his coffee. "I doubt he just went there to see Eden. So then..." He set his mug down, along with his Scroll. "What are your thoughts?"

Hughes smirked. "Those are just like their mothers, Ozpin. If I didn't know any better, I thought I was looking at Summer and Raven all those years ago. And about that kid with the marks..." His eyes narrowed. "He's the boy Kiri took in, isn't he?"

Ozpin nodded. "Nico Bodaveg, the latest of the family members. Unlike his sister, who is one of the..." he lowered his voice, his tone having gone cold. "...unlucky, we shall say, who wasn't born with the family semblance due to her weak constitution. It doesn't surprise me Kiritsugu took them in when he left home."

"I'd do the same in his shoes." Hughes scoffed. "Parents who don't give a damn about their child just because she's frail don't have the right to be even called parents in the first place."

"Is that the Huntsmen Maes Hughes speaking?" the headmaster inquired. "Or your inner parent?"

"Both."

"I see." The Headmaster nodded. "But in regards to your son...has he displayed any signs of...that Spirit awakening?"

"So far, no...thankfully..." The parent said relieved. "...But I worry about what's in store for him in the future. Shadow and Abaddon are still out there...it's only a matter of time before the Four meet up again."

Glynda's eyes became narrowed, turning to Hughes. "I still don't understand why you allowed him to enroll here." she said, her tone leveled. "Even if he is one of the Four, it still does not explain your reasoning. Especially given his reputation. What if he attracts attention?"

"We've already taken precautions, Glynda." Ozpin answered for his friend. "Besides, Eden will prove invaluable in the days to come."

The woman sighed, pinching her nose. "...very well. And while speaking of students, did you find out anything regarding that girl? Cielo her name was?"

"There's little information, I'm afraid." the man replied, taking a sip of his coffee. "All we really know is that she is originally from Atlas. As for birth parents, or any schooling record, everything is a blank. She is like a ghost... but her exam scores are the best we've seen yet." An amused smile formed across his face. "And that is not even mentioning her combat exams."

"I agree." Hughes nodded. "I have seen her in action, and I must say...she acts like a completely different person while fighting."

Glynda frowned at this. "How do you mean?" she asked. "I've seen her combat scores, and they're beyond what any normal student is capable of. She's on par with an actual huntsmen, albeit not a veteran. How is she different?"

Hughes barked a laugh. "Glynda, that girl, when you meet her, is hyper, happy, and chipper like the world isn't full of grimm and death around every corner." he told her. "In battle, she's something else?"

"How?"

"She becomes no-nonsense, cold, and cunning."

"In other words," Ozpin sipped his coffee again. "She acts like an experienced huntsman would. She watches the flow of battle, and acts accordingly to make it work in her favor."

"In other words, she's like a two-faced person." the doting father sighed. "It makes me wonder which side of her is real."

Glynda seemed confused about the whole thing, but didn't comment. Still, acting so differently in battle... was that really such an odd thing? She recalled how Ozpin was in his youth, and she could honestly say he was not the same as he is now when he set foot in the battlefield. She took notice of the Scroll, and looked at her old friend. "Is that from Qrow?"

The man nodded gravelly. "Yes... It appears we have a problem."

Hughes and Glynda's faces became serious. "What kind of problem?" the man asked. "Does it... have to do with Queen?"

"Yes... as well as the Four."

At this, Hughes' eyes darkened slightly. If one looked closely, one would see the faint glow in them. "...So Conquest and Death have joined up with them?"

"From what Qrow says, yes."

Hughes growled, a hand over his face. "Spirits help us..."

Glynda's eyes narrowed. "If I remember correctly... isn't Conquest...?"

"Yes, there's little doubt it's him." Ozpin nodded. A trouble expression soon settled over his face. "However, that is what bothers me... why reveal himself now of all times?"

"It's Death we should be worried about here." Hughes said darkly. "We both know what they're capable of... The deaths of a hundred Atlas soldiers says everything."

"I know...I already heard the specifics from James." The professor agreed. "...I pity the poor lad. So much hatred against the world and everyone in it..."

"It's not his fault, however." Glynda pointed out. "If at all anything, it should be Abaddon's influence that he ended up that way."

"That may be true, Glynda," Hughes spoke up. "But the fact remains he was chosen by Abaddon. He already had hatred for this world already long before it found him."

"It's just like how Shadow is too." Ozpin added. "The Great Spirit of Darkness seeks the host with the greatest ambition. Knowing who his current host is...it is a dangerous combination."

"Don't worry..." Hughes reassured him before adjusting his glasses. "Let me handle him. After all...it's my job to help keep the others in check."

Ozpin couldn't help but smile. "Just what I'd expect from the one Aska chose."

"Heh, you should the annoying chicken that," the doting father grinned. "He keeps telling me to stop spoiling my little girl. Like hell that'll happen!"

Glynda sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose again, this time out of exasperation. "Just how in the world did this idiot become the Horseman of Famine?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Roman Torchwick was NOT happy.

Not only was the Dust store robbery the other night a bust, but he got some...rather displeased reactions from some of his partners. He gingerly pressed a finger to a wound on his cheek. It was a shallow cut, but the killing intent projected by the culprit was enough to leave him paralyzed.

"That cheeky little smartass..." he growled, his hands curling up into fists. "If it weren't for the fact that we supposedly need him, I would have...!"

"You would have... what, Torchwick?" a male voice called out, condescendingly. Roman cursed. Yet another pissant he didn't like. "Need I remind that you if you try anything to him, Cinder will have your head?"

"Shut up," he snapped, whirling around to face him. "I don't need a lecture from someone who just lost their girlfriend, all because she got some weak knees."

In an instant, a hand shot out and grabbed him by the throat. He was pressed up against the wall and held up there. Eyes full of loathing bore into him. "You best watch your tongue my friend. It would be a shame if you were to lose it."

Roman snarled as he brought up his cane, jabbing it into his assaulter's gut. With a quick flip of his cane, he whirled it around with the flat end in his hand, and did a sweep about, the curved end intending on catching the attacker by the leg. The man merely leaped back, performing various cartwheels to get some distance, and landed on his feet, legs spaced apart, and fallen into a combat stance. "What's the matter, lover boy?" Roman mocked him, flipping the cane back around, holding it by the handle. "Too scared to take me on? I would have thought the infamous Adam Taurus would've been up to the challenge."

The red-haired Faunus snarled. "You've got a death wish, you arrogant piece of...!"

"Enough." a lone, female voice commanded. "The both of you."

Both men stopped at the sound of the voice. They dropped their stances and turned to face the source. Approaching them was a young woman with breath taking beauty. Her amber eyes seemed to glow like embers in the shadows. Her ashen black hair was swept to the left side of her face and rested over her left shoulder. She was dressed in a dark-red, off-the-shoulders, v-neck minidress with yellow designs. At her hip was a blue, feather-like accessory.

Standing next to her however, was a man both men knew all too well...a man that possessed so much hatred for the world and everyone in it.

He looked to be a mere teenager, dressed in some kind of military-like uniform with a white cloak hanging over his body, a hood pulled over his head. From beneath the shadows, one could see a pair of cold blue eyes, and messy blonde hair.

"Oh, well look who decided to drop in." Roman said sarcastically, glaring at the little upstart. "The boss and her little boyfriend. How cute."

The boy gave him a sideways glare, but it was the look itself that pissed off he mobster. The brat had the nerved to look at him like he was nothing at all! How dare he! The nerve of him! "Roman, Roman..." the woman smiled darkly. "You know better to go picking fights with your collaborators."

Adam fell out of his stance, bowing his head. "Forgive me, Cinder." he said respectfully. "I let my emotions get the better of me."

"Tch, kiss-up..." Roman muttered under his breath. But the red haired man caught it and inched his hand closer to his sheathed sword. But the sound of another sword being drawn caught their attention.

"I'd advise you stop this petty squabble soon...otherwise there will be severe repercussions for disobedience." The teenager stated.

Roman growled. "You wanna go you little-"

He was stopped when a blade pressed up against his throat. The gleaming crimson shone underneath the lights of the warehouse, and the sharpened edge was so close to the skin.

"Didn't you hear me before, you filthy human?" the teenager said coldly. "Stop this petty squabble... or suffer the consequences."

The mobster stood absolutely still, his eyes trained toward the tip of the saber. If he made any sudden movements, then the teenager was sure as hell going to lop his head off. As much as he disliked being looked down upon, he disliked dying even more. Swallowing his pride, Roman relented.

"..fine." he growled. "But, I will kick your ass, you little brat."

The boy didn't even so much as glance at him after that as he slid his sword back into it's sheath. Cinder could only smile. "As ruthless as ever, Mika my dear..." she said. "Although, he is right. You need to be more obedient, Roman."

The man shrugged his shoulders. "What-ever." he dismissed her. "Anyway, where's our troublemaker?"

"Right here, Roman my man."

The orange-haired man looked over his shoulder, and grinned. "I see someone got a bit messy." he joked, taking notice of what had stained the newcomer's body. "Didn't your mother teach you any manners, Xeno?"

The red eyes figure smirked as he ran a hand through his blood-soaked hair; what was once raven black was now a murky crimson. Even his attire was soaked in blood. His black leather jacket was stained red, and his red-v-neck shirt was darker than before. His torn denim jeans, black fingerless gloves, belts, and combat books were just as dirty. The choker on around his neck was not spared as the skull on the side also had blood splattered on it. Strapped to his hip was a sword that was strangely void of any blood at all. "She might've...but then again, she's already dead, so who cares?" He smirked.

Roman couldn't help but laugh at the remark, while the hooded teen regarded the new arrival with disdain. "Your late..." Cinder drawled. "Where were you?"

"Eh, everywhere and anywhere." Xeno shrugged, his smirk still present. "So, who pissed in Micky boy's cereal today?"

"Watch your tongue, human..." the aforementioned teen snarled. Xeno merely gave him a sideways glance, which annoyed him to no end. He wanted to run that bastard through... but he knew he had little chance of victory in a one-on-one battle. He was simply that terrifying out on the battlefield, far more so than any of them here.

"So feisty..." the bloody man cackled, looking at Cinder. "He like that too in bed?"

The Raven haired woman frowned as the markings on her clothes glowed violently.

"What?" he shrugged. "It's a fair and honest question! I know for a fact that I saw the two of you-!" He was cut off when a black shard shot past him, and slammed into the wall. It soon broke apart after being stabbed into the wall, leaving only but small grains of dust. He let out a laugh. "Alright, I'll back off... Woman can't even take some teasing."

"...I'm really considering removing your tongue now..." Cinder growled.

Xeno grinned. "Then give it your best shot, princess..." he said, a dark aura flowing around him. "To be honest... I've been meaning to let loose for a while now. What do ya say? Feel up for showing me a good time?"

"...you filthy human..." The hooded teen snarled as killing intent leaked from his being. "If you find your existence so cheap, let me know. I'd be glad to get it off your hands."

"Cheap? Hah!" Xeno threw his head back, laughing. "To me, everything is cheap! Even life! And you know what, Micky?" A grin formed on his face, his eyes turning a dark purple. "I wouldn't have it any other way... It'd be boring if it were." He looked to Roman. "What do you think, Roman my man?"

"Wha-ho, hey now..." the mobster backed away, hands in the air. "If you kids wanna go at it, be my guest. Just leave me out of it. I'd rather not end up like the last poor saps who went and got stupid trying to stop you from causing trouble."

Adam winced, his hands curling into fists. He recalled what happened that day, and he never felt so angry. Even now, the anger had yet to fade. He wanted nothing more than to kill Xeno for what he had done, taking the lives of his comrades. He was sure Blake would be the same. 'How low we've fallen, Blake...' he thought mournfully. 'Accepting the help from someone like HIM.'

Xeno was not a true member of their little group. He was not like Cinder or that hooded boy, who's strong hate for humans surpassed even the Faunus', but neither was he like Roman, who acted merely for the benefits. He was doing this all for kicks, to enjoy and revel in the chaos that would come about. One might even say he loved chaos and chaos alone, enjoying in it all as if it were some kind of drug.

The very thought sickened him. He revels in destruction and mayhem without any sort of cause. He is like a warmonger, taking pleasure in combat just for the thrill of it. He no reason for fighting, no reason for destroying, it all gave him a sense of euphoria in the end.

The Faunus wanted Xeno's head on a platter...but he wasn't foolish enough to do so. The young man had him outclasses in strength, skill, and bloodlust. It would be suicide.

"Mikaela," Cinder spoke the hooded boy's name, causing him to halt. "Enough." Her eyes glowed as she glared at the man standing before her. "I have no quarrel fighting you, Xeno... but you are beginning to try my patience."

"Isn't that the kiddies' job?" he asked rhetorically, his deadly presence fading. "Speaking of which, how's greenie and gray? Are his legs still holding up? Cuz they didn't look that hot after their run-in with that Devil boy."

"Emerald and Mercury are doing fine and are currently preoccupied with their assignments." She responded curtly.

"Hah...so the kids are preoccupied, eh?"

"What did you expect, Xeno?" Roman chuckled. "The kids will be kids... Though I will say I am annoyed with that little brat trying to make a fool out of me."

Adam snorted. "Your doing a great job of that all by yourself, Torchwick." he said insultingly, causing the mobster to bristle in outrage. "Anyway..." he turned to Cinder. "What is this meeting about, Cinder?"

"It is about the next phase of our plans. Due to Roman's little failure here..." She glanced to the mobster. "...We are going to need to find another source for Dust to make up for lost time."

"Hey!" the orange-haired man scowled. "Nobody told me a little kid with a scythe was going to be there!"

Xeno couldn't help but laugh. "You got your ass handed to by a shrimp?" he grinned. "Wow, Roman my man... your slipping up!"

"Well, excuse me for not being an overpowered jokester like you!"

Adam, being the first to hear about this, raised an eyebrow. "A kid beat you?" he scoffed. "And you're supposed to be the best criminal in Vale."

"Shut it you! While I hate to admit it...the brat was pretty skilled. She took out all the men I got from Junior. They really were worth the money I paid for them..."

"Which wasn't much." Xeno interjected.

"...But what I didn't expect was that huntress showing up out of the blue."

Xeno suddenly developed a grin. "That so?" he inquired. "How good was she?"

"It was Glynda Goodwitch." Cinder interjected, eyes narrowing. "I've heard a few things about her, and I must say... she lives up to her reputation." A smile fell on her face. "However, no matter how experienced she is, she won't be an obstacle. After all... nothing will stop us from getting this done."

"Meh, whatever. I couldn't care less about your plans, so long as it's fun."

Roman chuckled. "You see, Xeno... This is why I like you."

"Thank you, my good friend." The red eyed teen grinned cheekily. "I always say...the only way to live life is to enjoy it thoroughly...and I enjoy what I do very much..."

"You mean mindless slaughter for amusement?" Adam hissed.

In response, Xeno grinned further. "It's not mindless... it's to relieve some boredom. I couldn't care less about whether they're Faunus or human or whatever the hell they are. They just need to be entertaining. And, speaking of entertaining..." He turned back to Cinder. "Ya find any of the 'others' yet?"

"So far...no." The woman shook her head. "However, there have been rumors of a man with the abilities similar to those of Aska's host seen out in the field, as well as sightings of the Blue Devil in action, but no definite location."

Adam's hands balled into tight fists after hearing the Blue Devil. He had lost many of his comrades to this demon. He will enact vengeance.

"Heeeeeeh..." Xeno grinned. "That so... Aska, and Devil boy, huh?" He turned to Mikaela, who remained glaring at him in contempt. "I bet your happy about this too, eh Micky boy?"

"...shut up, human." came the cold response.

"Hey, don't lump me with them boring pieces of skin." he chided nonchalantly. "Besides... you can't lie to what's inside of you." His eyes flashed purple again. "We both know what we yearn for... so why not embrace your nature, Mikaela Hyakuya? Or, rather..."

A sickening grin came across his face, while Mikaela's eyes turned bloody red.

"...Death?"

 **-Welcome to Beacon (Part 2): END-**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

" _ **Can you match my resolve? If so, then you will succeed."**_ _ **–Monty Oum**_

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Next Time: Initiation**


	4. Extra: Unforgotten Resolve

**Co-Written with Demons Anarchy of Pride. Thank you for your help in making this, man.**

 **This chapter is an exclusive tribute to Monty Oum and is not part of the plot of LNCE of Kresnik.**

 **We apologize that it is a bit late, but real life has been preoccupying us.**

 **Well then, we kept you waiting long enough. Please Enjoy.**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Extra Chapter: Unforgotten Resolve**

Today was the day.

Lie Ren stared at the marked date on his calendar.

It was hard to believe that it had already been a year.

The young man was currently in his room, his wallet in hand. He had been saving up some money to make the trip, as it would take some lien to use the train, and to buy a bouquet. There were also the kinds of flowers to consider, so he made sure to gauge the prices accordingly. After that, it was the trip back.

"Ren?" Jaune called out to him as he emerged from the bathroom, clad in only a towel. "Showers free if you want it."

The young man shook his head. "No thanks," he said. "I'm heading out."

"Huh? Where are you going?" The blonde leader asked.

"...Someplace. I'll be back tonight."

Jaune raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything more, simply shrugging his shoulders before he moved over to his closet, intent on changing before Pyrrha saw him in his current wardrobe. Ren nodded, slightly thankful that his friend didn't ask anything further, and moved out of the room. As he passed out the door, he recoiled, bumping into someone. "Owch..." Nora whimpered, rubbing her nose. "That hurt..."

"Oh, sorry, Nora."

"Huh? Oh, that's fine, Ren. Where ya going?" She asked.

"...Just going to visit him. I'll be back by tonight."

Nora's usually chipper and extravagant mood was nowhere to be seen, instead nodding solemnly.

"I understand. Please be careful."

"Don't worry, I will. I'll see you soon." Ren gave her a quick hug and trekked through the halls.

Once he disappeared into the corner, Nora's face became saddened.

"...It's already been a year, huh...?" She murmured softly. She hadn't realized that today was the day. She felt guilty. How could she forget something like this?!

"Nora?" Her red headed team mate appeared from behind. "Are you alright?"

"It's nothing."

Pyrrha frowned. "Your face says otherwise."

The Spartan was genuinely worried for her team mate. Not once had she seen the bundle of energy act like this. Something was definitely the matter.

"...I'm just frustrated I forgot what today is."

"And what's today?"

Nora smiled sadly at her friend. "...the anniversary of Ren's dad's death."

XXXXXXXXXX

Ozpin sighed as he slipped his coffee down on the table, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Glynda," he called out to his friend. "How much longer?"

"It'll be a few hours." she answered. "Have some patience until then, Ozpin. The plane is going to go by itself."

"I know. It's just...I can't help but be anxious. It has only been a year since his passing, after all."

"Indeed." The instructor adjusted her glasses. "He was a kind soul, taken from the world too soon."

It was an understatement. The man was more than just a simple friend. He had also been like a brother, and a best friend, all into one.

Even to this day, he lamented over his passing. His dear companion perished in a hospital bed. He struggled to fight his condition, but in the end, he succumbed to it.

At the very least, however, the man had gone down swinging.

"Have you contacted the others?" Ozpin asked.

Glynda nodded. "They should be arriving ahead of us."

"I see. I wouldn't be surprised considering its James we're talking about."

"Don't forget about Qrow," she commented. "Also, Lie Ren should be arriving ahead of us." Her eyes softened, looking to the small photograph on the desk, showing a great number of people. "It's almost hard to believe it's been so long... I can still barely believe it's been a year already."

"To think, it seems just yesterday that all of us had been fighting side by side against the Grimm, and seeing one another in the halls between classes."

"It only shows how close he was to all of us..." the blonde woman said sadly. "Ren especially."

"Yes. After all, he was the boy's father."

XXXXXXXXXX

"...remind me again," Weiss felt her eyebrow twitch in annoyance. "How, exactly, did you idiots convince me to go with you to stalk Ren?!"

"It's not stalking," Ruby corrected her friend. "It's just we're worried for his well-being!"

Jaune nodded. "Exactly my point!"

The blonde leader was the one who started this. His conversation earlier with Ren sounded a bit weird to him. Usually, he didn't want to get involved in his team mates private matters as they could be personal. But his confusion was cleared when he heard Nora and Pyrrha converse in the halls.

Today was the anniversary of Ren's father's death. When he confronted his orange haired team mate, she said told him that he died exactly one year ago in a hospital bed. He was a renowned and very skilled Huntsman, capable of erasing a horde of Grimm numbering in the thousands.

He wasn't sure who he was, but obviously, Ren's guardian was a man to be respected.

He also knew that he had to be there for his best friend. While he may not know the pain of losing a loved one and relative, he wasn't going to let Ren go through this alone.

Hence why he informed Ruby and Ludger of the situation, which in turn led to them bringing in their teammates.

"Technically," Eden said casually as he munched on a bag of chips. "This counts as stalking. Besides, wouldn't it just be easier to ask if we can tag along?"

"...You know, that's probably a good point. And how can you eat at a time like this?!" Nico snapped.

"You know my semblance makes me burn through calories faster than normal. I was just hungry." He shrugged.

Blake sweat-dropped. "You are the oddest person I have ever met." she remarked before looking back to where Ren was. He was standing in front of a flower shop parlor, conversing with a kind, old woman. "I do agree with you, though... We should just ask him about who his father is instead of having to stalk him."

"On that," Weiss nodded. "We agree. Still, I wonder... who was Ren's father? He must be talented to take down so many Grimm. I'm surprised he's never mentioned him." She turned to Jaune. "Do you know anything?"

The blonde shook his head. "No. I tried asking Nora, but she avoided the question. It's so odd."

"It must be something really personal is she doesn't wish to share it with us." Ludger stated. "Not that I blame either of them. Nora did say they were close since childhood. She must've seen Ren's father as her own as well."

"All the more reason to follow them." Ruby said. "Besides, I'm kinda curious to know what Ren's dad was like. Maybe he's like Uncle Qrow, and a total badass!"

"Again, we should just ask him!" the Schnee heiress mumbled.

"Oh, come on. Where's the fun in that?" Yang slapped her on the back, making Weiss stumble slightly. "It's more exciting to just follow him and find out for ourselves.

"And we just might get into trouble." Blake added. She turned to Neo to agree with her, only to find her and Cielo standing off to the side, each holding a pair of ice cream cones. The blue-haired girl was grinning happily as she licked away at her frozen treat while Neo simply looked pleased with having food, having her trademark parasol with her. The Faunus felt a tick mark above her eyebrow. "...why can't those two take things seriously?!"

"You can't really blame them, Blake." Ludger stated. "It's pretty much who they are."

"True, but I would have expected more from Neapolitan." Weiss muttered. "And while on the subject of her name..." She gave Ludger a flat look. "Ice cream? Really?"

"What?" he defended himself. "Her hair has all the colors, and that's the first thing that came up! Besides, she seemed to like it."

"And just what do you plan on naming your future kids? Let me guess, Tico? For tic-tac-toe?"

"K-KIDS?!" Ludger sputtered. Neo, who heard this, spat out whatever ice cream was in her mouth out of surprise.

The group panicked somewhat when Ren paused, eyes knitting into a frown as he looked over his shoulder. However, all he saw was the regular crowd, and Neo hacking on her ice cream. Cielo was currently trying to help her, patting her on the back. Eventually, he shrugged his shoulders, and then went back to ordering the bouqet.

Once they made sure his eyes were turned, the group removed themselves from their respective hiding spots: Jaune sliding down from the pole, Ludger and Ruby from underneath a nearby bench, Eden and Nico from the bushes, Blake and Yang from an alleyway, and Weiss putting down a newspaper she got from who knows where.

"That was close..." Ruby sighed before glaring at Ludger. "What were you thinking?!" she whispered harshly. "You almost got us caught!"

"Hey, not my fault Weiss went and brought up something like that!"

"What?" the girl shrugged her shoulders. "It is a fair thing to say. I mean, aren't you and Neapolitan dating?"

"N-no! We just live together!" His face blushed. "B-besides, Julius has made it clear that I'm not allowed to date until I've graduated!"

"Really? Wow, your brother is as strict as ever, ain't he Ludger?" Yang smirked.

"Yeah..." He sighed.

"And Ruby told me that you told her something he told you...something about not making him an uncle yet...?"

Ludger's face brightened red again as he scowled. "Shut up Xiao Long!"

XXXXXXXXXX

When Ozpin and Glynda, along with Port and Oobleck and Hughes, arrived at the airport, they found three people waiting for them. One was James Ironwood, looking as gaunt and serious as ever, hands folded behind his back while the other two simply looked around, one curious, and the other, disinterested. The headmaster smiled wryly. "Well, this is a surprise," he said as he and the blonde teacher approached. "I never would have guessed you were here as well, Raven."

The red-clad woman eyed the silver haired huntsman. "Do I have a reason not to be? He was a good friend of mine too, you know." She looked the splitting image of Yang Xiao Long; same youthful appearance, same facial structure, and same hairstyle. The differences being that her eyes were a bloody red and her hair as black as the night sky. Her eyebrows were also a bit higher on her face and her complexion was also a shade paler. She wore a shallow-cut black dress, five-necklaces with an assortment of beads, a red girdle belt, and a pair of matching gauntlets. She also wore a pair of black, thigh high boots.

"He's only saying that it's rare that you'd show up, considering how rare we see you." the other person said. He had graying black, spiky hair, with a red, tattered cloak, with a gray dress shirt with a long tail, black dress pants, and black dress shoes. He also wore a ring on his right index finger, two other rings on his fourth finger, and a necklace with a crooked cross-shaped pendant. "I mean, hell, you hardly even visit me anymore!"

Raven smirked. "Only because I don't need to see how my idiot brother is doing."

Oobleck snickered. "She has you there, Qrow."

"Says you, speedster."

"Heh...I haven't been called that in a while." The doctor took a swig from his thermos.

"Yeah...hard to believe it's been so long since we were in school..." Qrow mused as he took out his flask. "We're getting old!"

"Especially a certain fat idiot." Raven remarked slyly, earning a chortle of indignation from Port.

"I-I beg your pardon?!"

"Well..." Ozpin smiled wryly, glancing at his friend. "You are putting on a few pounds. You're not like you used to be. Even he used to tell you that."

James chuckled. "Yes, but I believe he also said something about Oobleck and his coffee."

"And just what is wrong with coffee?" Oobleck retorted. "It is a fine and delicious drink that allows one to burn through the midnight oil and the entirety of the day, as well as promotes for a healthy liver!"

"Yes..." Glynda pushed up her glasses. "Yet there is such a thing as too much. Need I remind you how you move as if you are high on drugs?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about!" Oobleck quipped as he took another swig of the caffeinated beverage."I simply feel wide awake."

"Yeah...hic...keep telling yourself that...once you...hic...crash..." Qrow slurred as he downed his flask.

Raven shook her head, pinching the bridge of her nose. "This is exactly the reason why Summer and I never let you drink."

"Why d'ya think...hic...I'm even drinking...hic...in the first place?" He looked his sister in the eye.

In response to his words, the woman whacked him in the back of the head.

"Just sober up already. We'll be visiting his grave soon."

"By the way, where's Tai Yang?" Hughes asked.

James sighed. "He said he wouldn't be able to make it," he replied, gesturing to the manila envelope in his hand. "He asked me to bring this to him... I suppose it's another small novel idea of his." He smiled wryly, showing the face of someone unbefitting of their position as the head of the Atlesean Army. "Those two always did like discussing books. Among other things."

"Yes, they did." Oobleck nodded, taking another sip. "It's hard to believe he's really gone... I suppose it just hasn't really hit me yet."

Port sighed in sadness. "I doubt it's hit any of us. This morning, I half-expected that man to waltz into my classroom and ask me about my wonderful tales of adventures!"

"Port," Ozpin smiled somewhat. "I believe it's the other way around."

"Yeah...he had better...hic…stories than you...hic..." Qrow drunk more from his flask.

Glynda visibly twitched upon seeing the drunkard continue to drink, looking to Raven. "...do you mind?"

The woman shrugged her shoulders. "Be my guest."

The blonde instructor took out her riding crop and flicked her wrist. Both Qrow and the flask were sent hurtling through the opposite ends of the room.

His body crashed straight into the wall while his flask slid to the ground. The action caused several people to stop and look at the sight, while Raven smiled in appreciation. James, however, sighed as he shook his head. "Glynda," he said. "Can you please not try to destroy the airport?"

XXXXXXXXXX

"...the train's too cramped!"

These were Yang's words as she and the rest of her friends were pressed against one another in the tiny train car. Ren was seated comfortably in the next car over, as there weren't as many people. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for the spying group.

The car was packed almost to the brim, with a great number of people either bumping into them or too close for comfort. Neo and Cielo were at the very back, though there was less people over there. "This," Weiss grunted as she squeezed through the massive crowd, glaring at her team leader. "Had better be worth it, Ruby Rose!"

"It is! We needed to keep a close eye on him, and this was as close as we can get!"

"...couldn't we have split up between the cars on either side of Ren's?" Ludger wondered.

Ruby opened her mouth to respond to that, but no words came out. It only took them a few seconds to realize that Ruby had not thought about that whatsoever, which elicited a groan from the Schnee Heiress. "For the love of...!"

Ludger frowned. "Seriously, Ruby?!"

"I-I-I...I panicked okay?! It just didn't occur to me until you said it!" She argued.

Blake sighed, face-palming "Why couldn't I have stayed with Pyrrha and Nora?"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Atchoo!"

"Wow, that was a big one. You okay, Pyrrha?"

"Yeah...I think someone was talking about me."

"Ren, maybe?"

"Nah," the energetic girl shook her head. "Probably Jaune." She frowned a second later as she folded her arms and tilted her head in confusion. "You know, he could have just asked Ren who he was going to visit rather than stalk him."

"And he didn't have to get Ludger and Ruby involved either," Pyrrha pointed out. "Though, then again, maybe he's just worried."

"Yeah, maybe."

"So, while on the subject of Ren..." the amazon warrior began. "What kind of person was his father?"

"The awesome kind!"

Nora's depressed state took a 180 and became excited once more.

"He was all like WAAATAAH! And BOOM!"

She moved her arms around to emphasize her words.

Pyrrha giggled as she listened to her friend describe Ren's guardian. She watched as Nora began to recall tale after tale, some more exaggerated or physically impossible, listening as she told stories about how he took down legions of Grimm, one after another, with naught but his strength, wits, and his "almighty" charisma.

"He sounds like a wonderful person." she said, smiling fondly. "You must be proud of him. You and Ren."

"We are." She smiled before her expression grew solemn. "He was a strong man...right up till the end..."

"How..." she hesitated, unsure of how to phrase it. "Did he...?"

"...he died in a hospital bed..."

"...oh," Pyrrha, face aflamed with shame, turned away from her friend, looking to the ground. "I-I'm sorry, I..."

"It's fine, Pyrrha." Nora assured her, grinning. "Me and Ren are sad he's gone... but we're glad he died peacefully, instead of going down against a Grimm."

Indeed. It was better to be by his side during his last moments than not being there form him at all.

She could still remember the day very well, how he seemed to be so peaceful in his state, lying in that bed while they dreaded that he would never open his eyes again. When that day came, well... Nora had not been herself for a very long time. She wasn't hyper or chipper, she was simply locked up in her room, sitting atop her bed, and crying for several days.

Ren, however, took his death the hardest.

The quiet yet wise teen was left so...broken. His eyes had lost the spark of life they once had and his behavior was so mechanical that it was scary. It was as if all his emotions had died along with his father.

No matter how much his friends and family try to cheer him up, he was still dead to the world. But Nora knew there was more to it.

One night, while she was visiting Ren's house, she found him alone in his room, curled up in the corner. His head was tilted down and his shoulders trembled. There were no sobs. There were no sniffles. But there were tears leaking out of his hollow eyes.

It was horrible, and worst of all, saddening to see him like that, but she understood it. That man was the closest thing he ever had to a father. He meant everything to him, and for him to suddenly disappear... it was like he had suddenly shut down on himself. She couldn't leave him like that.

It had taken her almost a year to get Ren back to his old self, but even then, he remained still depressed.

He may have gotten better, but he rarely smiled anymore.

Time may heal all wounds...but these wounds just run too deep for him.

"Say, I never asked..." Pyrrha tilted her head, curious. "What was Ren's father's name?"

Nora smiled brightly. "Oh, his name is...!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"...sorry I couldn't get here sooner, dad."

Ren was kneeling before a lone tombstone. The flowers he had purchased were still in hand, gently rustled by the breeze. His head was tipped down in respect for the departed, his eyes shadowed by his bangs.

"I had a lot on my mind before I left to see you..." he confessed, head still lowered. "I... was trying to figure out what to say. To be honest, I still have no idea what I want to say." A somber smile found it's way to his face as he looked up, revealing strong, proud eyes. "Kinda sad, huh? But... You always did tell me it's what someone does at the end of the day that really matters. You know, Nora had almost forgotten what today was. I didn't blame her. We got done with Initiation a few months ago, and the Vytal Festival is coming up.

"Oh, yeah... I almost forgot. I became an official Huntsman. Well, not official, I guess I should say. We passed orientation, and became apart of a team. Nora's with me. She's still as hyper as ever," he shook his head bemusedly. "My teammates are pretty cool too. One is this girl named Pyrrha... she's incredible, but then again, I guess that's to be expected from one of the top contenders in all of Vale. Our leader is this guy named Jaune. I guess he comes from this long line of skilled Huntsman or something, I dunno... He's still kind of hesitant about the whole thing, and gets a lot of crap from another guy named Cardin, but... I think you'd like him."

Even though there was silence, Ren knew what he would say in response.

"His skills may be a bit unrefined and sloppy, but he's been making good progress so far. He is a fast learner, and all of us are there to help him."

"I also made some good friends in two of the other teams." Ren smiled.

…

"They're good friends of ours... RWBY and LNCE. A girl named Ruby is the leader, she's pretty young, but she's definitely earned a right to be here. Her sister, Yang, has a mean right hook, and she can be pretty protective of her too. There's also Blake... she's a mystery, but she's a hardcore bookworm, and a good friend. There's also the heiress of the Schnee Company, Weiss. It was a big surprise for me when I heard about it.

"Then there's Ludger and his team. His older brother's an accomplished Huntsman too... I hear he wants to be just like him. There's also this girl named Neo. She's... quiet, and you don't hear her talk very much. There's also this girl named Cielo. I swear, she's like the bipolar version of Nora, and frankly, it scares me." He chuckled somewhat at that last one. "There's also this guy named Eden... He's something of a terror here, having some kind of reputation as the Blue Devil, but his dad is... pretty energetic. There's also Nico, he comes from this long line of Huntsman, but it seems like he has some major family problems."

He smiled more as he talked about his friends, his hand running down the headstone. "I... really wish you could have met them, dad." he said, standing back up. "I'll come by again when I can... I don't know when, though. There's exams and missions," he chuckled again. "And Nora's shenanegans."

He turned on his heel, his back facing the headstone before looking over his shoulder, glancing at it one last time.

"...goodbye."

He dipped his head as he took the first step. Behind him, the bundle of white lilies rested peacefully on the grave.

A wind picked up and scattered some of the petals. They floated up and were carried by the breeze right past Ren. The green clad teen watched them float away, but then sensed something. He raised his head and he turned around. His eyes widened in disbelief. He wasn't sure if it was due to a trick of the setting sun or he was going crazy. But there was no denying what he was seeing. Leaning against the tombstone was a figure clad in white. His black hair shrouded his eyes as his chin was tilted down. Despite all this, there was no way Ren wouldn't recognize him.

His feet were rooted to the ground, unable to form any coherent words as the figure smiled, as if one of approval before another gentle breeze picked up, causing more of the petals to dance in the air. As they passed, the figure vanished, as if he were never there in the first place. Ren could hardly believe what he had just seen, rubbing his eyes to make sure they weren't playing tricks, but found nothing there.

Words died in his throat. Yet a lone breeze moved past him. Ren assumed he really was going insane when he heard someone speak, but for some reason...he knew he wasn't.

"Ren...keep moving forward...I'm so proud of you..."

The boy shuddered for a moment, a shivering jolt running down his spine. It was not an unpleasant feeling, and instead felt something lit up inside of him. A small, yet bright smile formed on his face as he gave a nod, and moved away from the headstone. The two groups watched him leave, having stood outside the gate. They had seen his reactions, and wondered what he could have seen to make him react like that.

Ludger, however, had different thoughts.

'...he must have been very close with his father.'

The white haired male sympathized with Ren. He may not know his own parents, but Julius was the closest family he had.

Jaune was also affected by his words, having heard what his friend said about him. He couldn't help but feel somewhat relieved and proud by what Ren had said, though he was still unsure. Could he really lead them? when they all had so much expectations for him? But... if Ren believed in him, then he couldn't let him down.

"Wow," Ruby said sadly, gazing at Ren's back as he moved away. "I... never knew he could be like that. I'm used to him being, well, you know... Ren."

"Ruby," Weiss said seriously. "Not everyone shows how they truly feel around others."

"I agree." Nico nodded. "Everyone wears personas. Each one changing depending on their environment or around others. The masks we all see are merely shields to protect what is kept hidden underneath. I mean, take a look at Eden as an example."

"Oi!" the Blue Devil remarked indignantly. "The hell's that supposed to mean?!"

"Three words," the tattooed teen smirked. "Yang. Xiao. Long."

"Wh-what are you talking about?!"

"Y-yeah!" the blonde brawler in question blushed furiously. "W-what are you talking about, Nico?!"

"Yang," Ruby smirked. "Don't lie. We all know that you two were-"

"...ahem," a familiar, cold voice coughed authoritatively behind them, causing all in attendance to freeze. "And just what do you all think you're doing here?"

Each of the teens slowly turned around. They eventually became face to face with General Ironwood.

And he wasn't alone either. On either side of him was Ozpin and Glynda, the latter looking equally as crossed. Ozpin, however, looked amused as he pushed up his glasses. "Well, this is a surprise." he remarked. "And just what you all doing here?"

Ludger chuckled awkwardly. "H-hello, Headmaster..."

"U-um..." Ruby fidgeted heavily, sweating rather nervously. "W-we were just... worried about Ren and all, s-so we..."

"Stalked him." Glynda frowned. "All the way here. On a private matter." Each word she spoke only further drove in the proverbial stake, and Ironwood's stern glare was not helping matters.

"Oh, come now, Glynda," the professor shook his head. "Is it wrong for them to be concerned about their friend? After all, visiting a loved one on the anniversary of their passing is hardly any easy occasion."

"Even still..."

"Oh, lighten up, blondie." Ruby and Yang's eyes widened upon hearing that voice, having heard it before so many times before in their past. "You'd do the same in their shoes." The two girls smiled when the figure walked up behind them, hands in his trousers, and slightly bruised. He smiled at the two. "Hey, girls."

"Uncle Qrow!" Ruby gushed, rushing over to the man and tackling him into a hug. "Omigoshomigosh! It's been so long!"

The rugged man chuckled as the girl hung off his arm. "Didja miss me? Didja miss me?!" She asked.

"...Nope." Qrow chuckled as he ruffled her hair.

In response, Ruby pouted, but grinned again as she nuzzled up against him. Meanwhile, Yang shook her head at the sight, smiling softly before she noticed the presence of another. "...oh," she mumbled softly when Raven stood beside her brother. "Hey."

Raven smiled back. "Hey, yourself."

Those meeting Raven Branwen for the first time were understandably confused, some were more shocked than most, practically gawking at the woman. "S-she..." Eden gaped. "L-looks like Yang..."

"U-um... Yang?" Ludger said weakly. "W-who is this?"

Raven chuckled, shaking her head. "I guess most folks would react like that when they see me and Yang together." she said before looking at them. "Your Ludger, right? My name is Raven Branwen, Qrow's sister..." She smirked a second later. "...and Yang's mother. Nice to meet you."

"…" One second passed. Two. Then three. Finally, the teens registered what they just heard.

"WHAAAAAAT?!"

"It's true," Ozpin nodded. "Truly, like mother, like daughter." A sigh escaped him. "And Yang just had to be like her mother when it comes to her fighting habits."

"Oh, bugger off, old man."

"While I do enjoy this chat of ours," Qrow said, amused by the whole thing, as he pried Ruby off of him. "Shouldn't we go see him now?"

"Huh? Oh, right." Qrow remembered as he lowered his arm, dropping Ruby.

Eden's eyes widened after he recovered from his shock. He was honestly surprised by how young Raven looked. At least now he knew where Yang got her looks, but they looked like honest-to-god TWINS! How was that even possible?! "W-wait, professor... you know Ren's father?"

Ozpin nodded, smiling broadly. "Indeed. In fact, we all do... he was great friend, and perhaps one of the best Huntsman the world had to offer."

"I agree." Hughes commented. "He saved my sorry rear more times than I could count. He was always there for all of us when we needed it the most."

"Wow..." Nico whistled. "He must be a very impressive man."

"And then some." Qrow added, grinning. Ludger chuckled at that response before he looked around, finally noticing the lack of presence of two certain people. "Something up kid?"

"Wait," he frowned. "Where's Neo and Cielo?"

"I think they left before we got here." Blake said. "And I think Cielo is dragging her around."

"Really? Where would she even take her?" Weiss questioned.

"...Oh no." Ludger paled, just now coming up with an idea.

"Huh? What is it, Ludger?"

The leader of LNCE face-palmed. "...I think I have a pretty good idea."

XXXXXXXXXX

Neo felt her eyebrow twitch rapidly, her body shaking. '...I am seriously about to kill this brat!'

"Aww...you are so cute dressed up like that, Neo!" Cielo squealed as she glomped the poor girl. The two were currently in a boutique that the blue haired girl had found along their way stalking Ren, and she just couldn't resist seeing Neo in the outfits displayed.

Currently, the usually silent girl was dressed in something she wouldn't be caught dead in. It was a Gothic Lolita style outfit, light blue in color with pink frills, and a small frilly hat atop her head. Her hair was also stylized as well in order to accommodate the look.

She would certainly be attractive...were it not for the glare she sported. If looks could kill, Cielo would be dead.

"Ooh, Ooh!" Cielo got her attention as she held up another article of clothing. "Neo! Try this on next!"

'...You owe me big time for this, Ludger...' Neo seethed.

XXXXXXXXXX

"...Ludger," Yang remarked. "You are a dead man."

"...yeah, I know."

"Huh? Why is that?" Jaune wondered.

Ludger gave the blonde knight a flat look. "Jaune... do you realize that Neo HATES wearing dresses?" he asked, earning a nod. "Where do you think Cielo took Neo?"

Jaune paused, trying to think before realization dawned on him. Finally, he responded. "...well, hey, least you get to see her in a dress."

"Yeah...but that would be right before she kills me, though." He lamented.

Ozpin chuckled. "Sounds like your all getting along well." he said happily. "Well, I believe we've been around long enough. If we stay here too long, our friend just might come back to beat us senseless."

"Agreed." Ironwood nodded.

Qrow smiled wryly when he thought about that idea. It seemed to be funny, yet he couldn't help but find it to be so much amusing. When they moved past the group of teens, an idea struck him, causing a grin to spread across his face. "Say," he said as he looked over his shoulder. "Do you kids want to come with?"

The suggestion surprised the group. Glynda paused, raising an eyebrow while Raven sighed, shaking her head. "H-huh?" Ruby gawked. "A-are you sure? I-I mean, wouldn't we be imposing?"

"You wouldn't be imposing," Ozpin said, agreeing with him. "Besides, I'm sure he'd like to see how Summer's daughter was doing."

Those words alone caused Ruby to cease all functions. Her silver eyes widened, shock registering. "H-he... he knew mom?"

"Yeah. And not just Summer..." Qrow answered. "He also knew me, Raven, and your Dad, too."

"Really?" Yang questioned. "He knew all of you?"

"Indeed he did." Ozpin nodded. "So? Do you want to meet him?"

The students looked at one another, soon coming with a unanimous answer. "Yeah. We do." Ludger nodded.

Ozpin smiled, and the group followed them into the cemetery. It had only taken them a few seconds to arrive at the headstone. It was rather plain looking like any other, but it was what was scribbled on it that had taken their attention. "There's no name on it." Weiss frowned. "Only a date of birth and death, the usual Rest in Peace, and... A quote?"

Glynda sighed, pushing up her glasses. "I'm afraid that was just the kind of person he was." she said. "He said that he wanted his last words to be engraved on his tombstone, rather than his own name. I was against it, but the man was stubborn."

"But that was what made him someone special, Glynda." Hughes told her. "A shame Tai wasn't able to come with us." James nodded in agreement, setting down the small envelope against the headstone. It was then that the general noticed the bouquet of flowers.

"Looks like someone was here before us."

"That was Ren." Eden said. "He left not long before you guys showed up."

Ruby kneeled down before the grave, her hands sitting atop her knees as she looked at what was engraved. He was very young according to what was inscribed, and the words of remembrance had truly shown just how much this one person meant to the people around him. Eventually, she found the quote at the very top of the headstone, reading it aloud.

 _ **"Keep moving forward**_ _._ _ **"**_ Ruby read it aloud.

"What does that mean?" Yang questioned.

"It means that no matter what life throws at you, or how much the past torments you, you must always look ahead. You must keep walking grasp the reigns of your own fate, your own life. Time always moves on, so you should as well." Ozpin explained for them.

Ludger nodded at this, finding the wisdom that had made itself known. "He must have been a very wise person."

"More than that, Ludger..." Raven said quietly. "More than you could ever imagine."

"So..." Ruby stood up, looking at the professor. "What's his name?"

the entire group smiled. Ozpin's was the widest.

"Oum," he said. "Monty Oum."

 **-Unforgotten Resolve: END-**

 _ **Monty Oum**_

 _ **June 22, 1981-February 1, 2015**_

 _ **Rest in Peace**_

" _ **Keep Moving Forward."**_

 _ **Demons Anarchy of Pride:**_ _Rest in peace, Monty Oum. The best there is, the best there was... the best there will ever be, for there are few in present that can match one who has succeeded in where others have not. Death is hardly the end... it's just the beginning._

 _ **Code-Emperor-07:**_ _Monty Oum, while I may not have known you prior to the creation of RWBY, I believe you are one of the greatest animators this world has seen. When I first saw the trailers for RWBY, I instantly became hooked to your work. I am sorry for not even hearing of you prior to this. I wished to have gotten to know you better. You are an inspiration not only to animators, but many people who wish to leave some form of creativity into this world to feed the souls of the upcoming generations. Words cannot do justice of the gratitude we feel for you. You will be missed, but you will never be forgotten._

 _May your soul rest in peace._


	5. Chapter 5

**Co-Written with Demons Anarchy of Pride. The creator of many fantastic masterpieces such as: Fire Emblem: Eternity Unto Reformation, Code Geass: Lelouch of the R-eset, The Crow: DxD, Highschool, DxD: Shatter Destiny, RWBY's Reaper, Code Geass: The Miraculous Birthday, Fractured Reality, Code Geass: Suzaku of the Counterattack, Devil Survivor: Destiny Rewind, and some of his new projects, such as Lagrange 111: You Are (Not) Alone, Tokyo Ghoul: A Flowered Colored Darker Than Black, Persona 4: The Unseen Truth, Monarch, Kill the Deadly Sin, Code Geass: The Butterfly Effect, DxD: Final, DC Heroes: FORGOTTEN BLOODSTAINED LEGACY, and DxD: Nocturne.**

 **I highly recommend you check them all out.**

 **I really appreciate your help, man. Couldn't have done this without ya!**

 **Thank you to all who continue to support this story.**

 **Also…..ALL FLAMES CAN JUST BURN IN HELL!(Like Cinder for what she did in the RWBY Volume 3 Finale!)... So don't even bother.**

 **Please read and review. Also, for those of you that haven't checked out the extra chapter: Unforgotten Resolve, be sure to do so!**

 **Otherwise…..ENJOY!**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Chapter 3: Initiation**

It was bright and early in the morning at Beacon Academy. All the students were dressed and armored, weapons at the ready, and all gathered at the cliff that overlooked the Emerald Forest. Faces were set into anxiety, anticipation, and excitement. Ruby and Ludger were among the latter, grins sported on their faces as they awaited for the headmaster and Glynda Goodwitch to arrive.

"Sheesh, will you guys come down?" Eden joked, grinning as well when he noticed the looks on their faces. "Initiation hasn't even started yet, and you two are already looking roaring to go."

"I can't help it!" Ruby argued. "I'm so psyched for this!"

"I know!" Ludger agreed, equally as excited. "Our first step to becoming huntsmen...is almost here!"

"Well, at least they are motivated." Nico spoke as he watched the two.

"Can't say i don't know the feeling." Yang shrugged her shoulders as she stared out into the Emerald Forest. "Still... heck of a drop from here. You supposed that's where initiation will be held?"

"Who knows?" the infamous Blue Devil shrugged. "We could be tossed in their for all we know."

"Oooooh, I hope so!" a girl said with a large grin, standing behind him. "It looks like fun!"

"Yeah, no kidding... Wait, what the?!" Eden whirled around, nearly tripping over himself from how fast he spun around before coming face to face with the one who had spoken behind him. The girl grinned, holding up two "v" signs. "Hello! I'm Cielo! Nice to meet'cha~!"

"Uh...Hi there..." The blue eyes teen stated as he stared at the chipper girl before him. When did she get here? He didn't even feel her presence!

"Hiya!"

"Whoa, where did you come from?!" Yang asked in shock, only just registering her presence.

"Um..." Cielo gave off a goofy grin as she tilted her head, pointing upward. "The sky?"

"...hah?"

Eden gave her a flat look. '...she's a total airhead.'

"...I think she meant how you managed to sneak up on us." Nico clarified to her.

"Ohhhh..." She nodded. "I just walked up behind this guy!" She pointed her sleeve covered hand at Eden.

"What?!" Now he was confused and bewildered. How the hell could she have walked up behind him?! There's no way she could have done that, even if she had masked her presence!

This girl...while she may not look like it...she is incredibly skilled. In his experience as a mercenary, the only people capable of suppressing their presence entirely were master-class assassins or ninjas. While Cielo gave the appearance of an airhead...she was something dangerous.

'I better watch myself around her...'

He thought to himself. Despite her behavior, he wouldn't drop his guard. A former associate of his died that way. Poor sap was fooled by a woman's charms and seemingly innocence. He learned his lesson the heard way with two knives run through his neck.

Needless to say, Eden would be careful.

"So!" The girl chirped happily. "What are your names~?"

"...I'm Eden."

"The name's Yang." The blonde brawler stated, opening up to the girl somewhat.

"...Nico..."

"I'm Ruby!" the little red reaper replied, smiling cheerfully. She didn't seem to get what the problem was. Cielo seemed to be okay... and she looked kinda fun to be around.

"I'm Ludger," the silver-haired teen greeted with a smile. "And this is Neo."

Neo gave a nod, and then turned away, causing Cielo to pout.

"Mou...Why are you so cold and distant?" She asked Neo, who was doing her best to ignore that remark.

"Don't take it personally," Yang told her. "She's like that to everyone..." She grinned pervertedly, leering at the two. "Well, everyone except for loverboy, over there."

This caused the quiet girl to pause for a second. Afterwards she walked up to the blonde, took her parasol, and whacked it over her head. Her cheeks were shown to be tinted red.

"Ow!" Yang yelped, rubbing the forming bump on her head. "Geez! Take a joke, will you, ice cream head?!"

Neo turned her head away in a huff before she walked away.

"...I'm guessing that's a no..." Eden answered for her.

"Well, you kinda deserved that one, Yang..." Ruby pointed out. "You already teased them enough last night."

"Oh c'mon...it wasn't THAT bad."

"...Please tell me you're joking." Nico deadpanned.

"I'm gonna have to agree with tats on this one," Eden added. "If looks could kill, you'd be dead a thousand times over last night."

Looking back to the night prior, both Ludger and Neo had such intense glares that it was as if they tried to see if Yang would burst into flames...

"Come on, you know it was true!" Yang argued. "Two kids, living under the same roof? Childhood friends?" she wriggled her eyebrows. "Something hot is bound to happen when big bro ain't home~"

Ludger groaned, rubbing a hand down his face. "Yang, please..."

Before the brawler could tease him any further, any and all chattering ceased when two familiar figures approached the group. "I think it best to save this conversation for later." Nico advised. "The headmaster has arrived."

The others looked at the direction Nico pointed to see Professor Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch approach them. Both having neutral expressions.

The two stopped right at the very front of the entire crowd of students. All of them immediately hushed up, and became tense. The two teacher's gazes were like hot iron, gazing into them expectantly. Eventually, however, the staring contest came to an end as Ozpin took a sip of his coffee, and a smile played across his face. 'Well, glad to see this bunch is ready and willing,' he thought wryly. 'Compared to last years.'

However, this was no day for pleasantries. Today, there were Huntsman to be found.

They were to be the new hope for this world...especially for the trials to come.

Ozpin began to speak. "For years you have trained to become warriors. And today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest." He gestured to the woods at the foot of the cliff.

"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams." Glynda continued. "Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion." Ruby looked somewhat hopeful. "Each of you will be given teammates...Today."

That hope was replaced by shock. "Wh-what...?" The red cape wearing girl whimpered.

"These team mates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well." Ozpin stated.

Ludger and Neo looked at one another.

Ruby looked even more scared.

"That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years." Ozpin finished calmly.

Ruby froze wide-eyed as she felt her whole world crack and shatter like brittle glass. "WHAT?!"

That one word echoed in all the students' minds. Their partners... would be determined the moment they look at each other?!

Before any could make a single protest, Ozpin continued with his speech.

"After you partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path...or you will die." He placed emphasis in those last few words.

Jaune stood there and laughed nervously before gulping.

"You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation. But our instructors will not intervene." He added.

'Glynda and I made sure of that...' He thought as he recalled a tied up Hughes locked in the broom closet.

"You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one, and return to the top of the cliff. We will regard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately." He then let his gaze sweep past everyone. "Are there any questions?"

The blonde student, Jaune, raised his head. "Yeah, um..."

"Good," Ozpin flat out ignored the boy, nodding at the group as they all became tense. "Now, then..."

"Sir?" Jaune persisted. "How will we be landing? Are we going to be dropped off?"

The man smirked. "No..." he said simply. "You'll be falling."

As they conversed, one by one, each of the teens were launched from spring loaded platforms into the air.

"Oh, I see. So, like, did you hand out parachutes for us?"

A pink wearing, orange haired girl was shot next. "Woohoo!"

"No. You will be using your own landing strategy."

"Uhhuh...Yeah."

It only took another student, this one being Eden with a crazed grin on his face, being launched into the air, screaming, "YIPEE KAI YAY!" before Jaune finally registered what Ozpin said... and his face dropped.

"WHAT?!"

Not even a second later, his body was launched into the air. "WAAAAAAAAH!"

Yang grinned as she slipped on a pair of sunglasses.

"Yahoo!" She cried.

Ruby followed right after.

Blake and Weiss came into the air soon afterwards. Ludger was launched into the air, taking high into the skies, blades already drawn, eyes forged ahead. Neo simply gave Ozpin a bored expression, as if to say, 'This the best you got?' before being launched into the air. Cielo giggled as she was sent flying.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOO!"

She really seemed to enjoy the flight.

As soon as the last one was launched, Ozpin turned to the forest and took a sip from his mug.

"Here's hoping that everything goes right." he muttered quietly.

"Oh, come on, Ozpin! You need to lighten up! At this rate, you won't ever find yourself a good wife!"

The headmaster of Beacon jumped, nearly dropping his mug, as he looked over his shoulder to see none other than Maes Hughes standing behind him, a large grin plastered across his face. Glynda's face was etched into utter shock and disbelief, spluttered. "W-what?! When-how did you-?!"

"Easy!" He held up the coil of rope and metal lock that used to bind him in the closet. "Never underestimate a man who wishes his son to do well! That...and I had Aska's help."

The blonde Huntress developed a tick mark on her forehead, her teeth grinding together harshly. "Are you telling me..." she growled deeply, her tone on par with a demon. "That you used a Great Spirit's help to get out of a CLOSET?!"

"Yep~" Hughes grinned cheerily. "Plus, I had my trusty lock pick."

Ozpin sighed in annoyance, rubbing his temple. "Good grief, Hughes..."

"Hey, it was your guys' fault I had to resort to such measures." He argued. "You stopped me from seeing my son off!"

"For good reason." Glynda rebutted. "Knowing you...you'd try to find a way to help him during this trial."

"Actually, I wouldn't have." the jovial man replied. "He's perfectly capable of fighting by himself. Besides, today, he's going to have some teammates."

"Also..." He looked off to the free forest below them. "I can't be there holding his hand forever...as a Huntsman...and one of the Four...he needs to learn how to grow up..."

"...that's surprising," Ozpin remarked with a slight grin. "Given your a hard core doting father."

"And you know it!" The man proclaimed proudly!

Glynda groaned, face-palming. "Somebody shut him up... Please."

XXXXXXXXXX

The students of Beacon Academy sailed through the air as they began their descent to the ground, each choosing different strategies for landing. Some of them continued to be propelled forward, like Yang, who continued her flight by using her gauntlets to bounce forward, sticking her tongue out as she did so.

Eden was similarly doing the same thing... except he was far more flashier, and more vocal.

"Haha! I'm on fire, baby!" He yelled as he soared through the air, with his flames propelling him forward. It was like watching a blue fireball.

Nico had taken a similar approach to Yang, bouncing through the air by bouncing through the trees, his semblance allowing him to propel forward, and create small shattered trees in the process. Ludger was more forthcoming in his descent, using his twin blades to slash through any incoming branches. He also angled his body, aiming for a specific spot and body posture to land.

Cielo however, was not seen by any of them since the launching. However, they heard the distinct cry of an Ursa somewhere in the distance.

As for Neo... she chose a more simple approach.

She simply flew through the air and used her parasol to slow her descent.

Of course, that being said, her landing was quite unique. As soon as she was within distance, she pulled down her handle, revealing a sharp blade from inside the parasol, and closed it. The next second, her body came down, and her blade pierced the skull of an unfortunate Beowolf.

The Grimm didn't even have time to cry out before it fell in a dead heap. Unfortunately, said Beowolf was in the middle of a pack.

The group immediately grew aware of her, and growled viciously, pacing all around with sharpened fangs, glaring daggers at her. Neo simply gave them all an uninterested glare and a cold smile crept on her face.

She twirled the blade in her hands as her foes slowly stalked her.

'Well, time to get started~'

XXXXXXXXXX

Ludger had to admit, Ursa surfing was more fun than he thought it would be

When he landed in the forest, he literally landed right on an Ursa's back. Not quite the landing strategy he had in mind...but it worked.

The creature was practically being hogged as he rode atop it before he rode it straight into a tree.

"Whoa!" The white haired teen yelped as he had to turn away to avoid crashing into a tree. Geez. Riding these things was harder than he thought.

The Grimm was not taking kindly to being ridden, and tried to throw him off, but it was not doing a good job.

Every time it would try and crash into something to throw him off, Ludger steered it away before the point of impact.

He recalled hearing about rodeos once, and how Neo said that she wanted to try it, but if this was what a rodeo was like, he didn't want to be on top of a wild animal.

He felt like his arms were going to be pulled from their sockets. If he opened his mouth, he would bite his tongue right off. And He felt this morning's breakfast threatening to come back up.

"Whoa-whoa boy!"

The Ursa was becoming more frantic. Ludger gritted his teeth, knowing that he would have to get off soon.

If he didn't then he ran the risk of traveling further away from his target. But if he got off, he would have to fight it, possibly luring in other Grimm to the battlefield. They were creatures attracted to negative emotions, and war or combat to them was like a flame to moths.

So, he decided to take action.

"Here goes nothing...!"

Removing one arm from the Grimm's spikes, Ludger unsheathed one of his short blades and stabbed it into the back of its head.

"GRRWWOOOOOOAAAAAGH!"

The Bear-like Grimm howled in pain as a sharp sensation appeared between its neck and head. It tried even further to shake Ludger off. But once he got a better grip on his sword, Ludger whipped out one of his pistols and fired a rapid succession of bullets into its head.

The Grimm lurched from each impact before it fell over dead.

Ludger panted as he pulled himself off, his blades pulling out of its head. "Note..." he gasped for air. "To self... Never... Do that... Again!"

He was very close to losing his breakfast. Riding a rampaging Grimm was something he wasn't going to try again anytime soon.

He doesn't even know where he was anymore. The wild Ursa charged in random directions just to get the white haired teen off its back.

Suffice to say, he was lost.

"Great, just great..." Ludger sighed, scratching his head. "Way to go, Ludger..." 'First, I need to get my bearings.' he thought to himself as he looked around, seeing only towering trees of wood and lush. 'That, and I need to find out where that damned temple is.'

He gazed all around him for any indication of a trail of some sort, but nothing stood out.

Another sigh escaped him. "Whoopee..."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Whew, what a rush!" Eden grinned as he dusted off his pants. "I seriously gotta that again!"

Behind him, a small trail of destruction burned in the wake, traces of flames burning behind him. Trees had keeled over, encroached in flames entirely.

The smell of burning foliage didn't seem to bother him as he trudged on, completely oblivious to the slowly spreading forest fire.

"Now...the temple should be up ahead...so let's go!" He broke out into a sprint in search of his designated goal, as well as keeping an eye out for a future partner.

He really didn't think much about the idea of having a partner the moment they met via the eyes, though he did hope his partner would be someone he would be able to tolerate. The people who came to mind were Nico and Ludger, both of which he greatly enjoyed being with. Nico reminded him a bit of himself, and knew when to break a few bones, and Ludger seemed to be able to hold his own in a fight. Of course, there was also Yang. She was pretty cute, and she looked like she could break some serious bones when given the correct incentive.

Out of everyone he has met, only these three were partners that he believed were good to get along with. Although he hoped that he would meet the fiery blonde first.

Nevertheless, he kept moving.

He already delved deep into the forest, his sheathed blade already in hand, while straining his ears for any signs of Grimm coming at him at any second. So far, he felt none close to him, but if the sounds of combat around him meant anything, it was clear that he would get to see some action soon.

He heard gunshots ring out in the distance. The cries of dying Grimm not too far off as well.

Slowly, his face twisted into a savage smirk. Perfect.

Where there is combat, there are negative emotions. When there are negative emotions, there will be Grimm.

He paused as he tried to further enhance his senses, searching for any promising leads. Eventually, he heard the sounds of Grimm screaming out in pain and anger, as well as explosions. His smirk growing, Eden set off, finding a promising candidate for someone to partner with.

"Let's hope it's not anyone stupid!"

XXXXXXXXXX

Ludger sighed for the umpteenth time, scratching the back of his head as he stopped for a moment, looking around the forest. "...it's official." he groaned. "I am so lost."

Every direction he took, it was trees, bushes, rocks, and...what a surprise...more trees! He REALLY wished he hadn't landed on that Ursa. Now what was he going to do?

"I'll be lucky if I even find a partner..." Ludger muttered under his breath, rubbing his neck. 'I'd prefer it if it was Neo, but Nico and Eden seem like okay guys. Nico seems to be the type of guy who can attack and defend pretty well, while Eden looked to be the type to charge in, and slash everything within sight.'

Although, it was the latter that worried him somewhat. He was well aware of his identity as the Blue Devil, but the way he carried himself showed that he was nonchalant, and has gotten used to killing.

Even still, there was little doubt that he would prove to be a useful ally to have.

Despite being used to killing, Eden doesn't give off the impression that he revels in continuous bloodshed. He only kills when it's necessary.

That type of restraint is why he would be a good ally.

'Of course, Yang and Ruby would also make good teammates,' the teen thought of his friends from Signal. 'Ruby's speed and precision with her Crescent Rose makes her a danger on the battlefield, especially with how fast she can be, and Yang, well...' a nervous chuckle escaped him. 'Enough said.'

Ludger was about to continue when he heard the sounds of combat up ahead. 'Sounds like there's someone up ahead.' He quickly followed the noise, running through the bushes. His chances of finding the temple would improve if he had a teammate, plus he would have someone watching his back. Beggers could not be choosers, so he was willing to take what he could get. At the very least, he hoped that they would be cordial and willing to work with him. He slipped into a small clearing when he he found the source of battle, and to his shock, found the already dissolving corpses of Grimm.

And the one currently slaying them all... was Cielo.

However, her expression was unlike the one he saw back on the cliffs. Instead of smiling, acting all chipper and excited, her face was set in an emotionless frown. Her eyes were narrowed. Her gaze sharp and focused.

In her hands were two short swords that resembled his own. She was making quick work with the surrounding Grimm, slicing through their vitals with great speed and precision.

Ludger watched as she darted around the battlefield, moving with dexterity and grace, fluidly dodging every strike the beasts threw at her. She was currently locked in a battle with two Beowolves and one Ursa Major, the latter of which seemingly controlling the pack. Cielo ducked underneath a swing of it's massive paw before performing a backflip, evading a snarling bite from one of the wolves, and creating some distance between them. She made one last jump before landing splendidly on her feet, glaring at the three Grimm before her. Her lips curled into one of a frustrated, disgusted scowl.

"...die."

She dashed forward. A Beowulf swung its claw. She ducked underneath it and severed the limb with one of her blades. She then shifted her footing and changed direction, her other extended blade slicing through the Grimm's neck.

A gush of black erupted from the gash in its throat, but she was far from done. Using her momentum, she twirled her body at an angle, lifting it slightly into the air and jamming one of her blades into the second Beowulf, directly into its eye. It cried out in pain as the sword jabbed deep into it's skull, but she had not allowed it any chance of recovering as she slammed the back of her heel into the first one's abdomen, knocking it into the second one. With them disoriented, she was granted the perfect opportunity, and she took it without as much as a strand of hesitation. She shot forward, and allowed her blade to rip right through them both, taking the second blade she had shoved into the second Beowulf's eye, and then changed direction again while still behind them, and allowed both blades to slice through them.

Both Grimm fell to the ground in pieces. Their bodies were already decomposing into black wisps. She turned around to face the Ursa, who roared in outrage.

"...You're next!"

The Ursa roared again, and charged right at her.

The girl looked on with disinterest as a massive paw was aimed to take her head off.

Ludger's eyes widened at what he saw. 'What the hell is she doing?!' he screamed as he brought out his guns. He had to do something, and fast!

However, before he could even bring out his guns, the Ursa swung its paw at thin air. Cielo was gone.

"H-huh?! Wh-where did she...?!" Ludger whipped his head around, looking for where she had disappeared to.

The Ursa shared similar sentiments, confused as to where its prey had gone.

Then, out of nowhere, the girl in question appeared on its shoulders.

The Grimm's red eyes widened in surprise, while Cielo gave it a menacing glare.

"...die."

She crossed both her blades over the beast's neck like a pair of scissor blades. With a swift tug, she chopped it right off.

The Ursa's head fell to the ground before its body soon followed, creating a resounding thud. Cielo hopped off, giving the creature a glare of disdain before she flicked her wrists, causing the blades to retract into small knives. She then flicked her wrists again, this time sending them into her sleeves. "...how troublesome," she muttered. Ludger noted how her tone seemed different. Rather than cheery or bubbly, her demeanor was that of a cold, terrifying menace, and her tone was frosty and detached. "I suppose there was no need for me to fight them, but still, this test is far too important for her to-"

"C-Cielo?"

"Hm?" The blue haired girl turned to face the gawking Kresnik. "...Oh...it's just you. You're...Ludger, right?"

"Y-yeah I am. B-but Cielo...what was that just now?"

The girl gave him a hardened glare, which made him freeze. That one look alone was proof that whoever he was looking at... was definitely NOT Cielo. Her posture and attitude were so much more different than when he first met her, and her fighting method was unlike what he expected it to be. He was unsure of he was even looking at the same girl from earlier. Cielo(?) was having similar thoughts. Chances were, the silver-haired teen had likely watched her combat the Grimm, and eliminate them in the manner she deemed fit. She was unsure as to whether or not she could trust him, but the fact that she had chanced to see him about to take out his guns to eliminate the Ursa when it was about to strike at her was proof that, despite realizing somewhere that she was not the same as the child he met earlier prior to the start of initiation, he was willing to defend her.

Therefore, she could grant him a chance. "...before I answer your question, I wish to ask one of my own." Cielo(?) spoke quietly, walking up to him, giving him a cold, scrutinizing glare that made him squirm under it. "How much can I trust you?"

"E-eh?"

"How much can I trust you?" She repeated. "Since we already established eye contact, I would appreciate to know if you are a partner I can trust to watch my back."

"W-well..." Ludger rubbed the back of his neck. "I... I can't say. I mean, this is the first time we met... Assuming your really not Cielo."

The girl smiled slightly. "Impressive... You were able to discern I was not this child. However, you still have not answered my question. How much can I trust you?"

"...I don't know how much you can trust me, honestly." he replied, still slightly nervous. It didn't seem as if she was going to do anything... for now. It was more like she was studying him, as if ascertaining if he was a possible threat. "All I ask is that you give me a chance."

The girl gave him a quiet stare, losing its previous intensity, as she closed her eyes. She was silent for a while before she opened her eyes again, this time showing recognition. "...it appears that Cielo trusts you." she responded, garbing confusion. "In that case, I shall trust you as well. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mielo."

"I-I see. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mielo." Ludger extended his hand politely.

"A pleasure, indeed." Mielo replied, taking his hand into hers. "I must admit, this is the first time the child has ever allowed anyone to become aware of me."

"Is... that so?"

"You do not wish to inquire about my existence?" Mielo asked curiously. "Most would simply write it off as split personality disorder."

"I know better than to pry about something personal." Ludger answered. "Besides... The fact that you don't have a sword at my neck shows that you don't think of me as an enemy, so I know you can be trusted."

"Hm, touche, Ludger." Mielo smiled. "Well, then, considering the fact that the two of us have made direct eye-contact, we will be partners henceforth. I trust you have no objections?"

"None on my end." He shook his head.

"Good."

XXXXXXXXXX

Nico was not pleased with the current results of the battle. Far from it.

He was ecstatic.

All around him, the corpses of countless Grimm were vaporizing into dark wisps.

The markings all over his body held a faint glow before dying out completely.

He reared his head back, a quiet, soft sigh escaping him. "...I've never felt this way since the day I ran away." he said to himself as his gauntlets retracted back to their base form, wrapping around his wrists. "So, then... I trust you enjoyed the show, Eden?"

The infamous Blue Devil grinned from atop his perch, sitting atop a branch as he watched the carnage Nico had unleashed. "And they call me a devil." he said jokingly as he hopped down from a six foot drop, landing on his feet perfectly. "I say your more worthy of that name than me. I mean, you ripped all of them apart with your bare hands!" he grinned widely, clearly excited. "You never told me those tats of yours could glow. Let me guess... Semblance?"

"...You guess correct." He responded.

"Sweet! I got it right!" He cheered. "And let me guess...your semblance gives you an insane boost of speed and strength in combat, which makes those markings glow as a side effect, right?"

"Again, correct."

"Woohoo! I'm on a roll!" He grinned.

"...If you're done patting yourself on the back, we still have a task to accomplish." Nico reminded.

Eden pouted. "Killjoy."

"Only when you are acting like a bosh'tet."

The look on the teen's face was priceless, immediately catching the reference as Nico walked away, stunned for several seconds before running to catch up to him. "Why didn't you tell me you played Mass Effect?!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Well..." Ozpin commented. "I have seen many a strange partnerships, but these are beyond strange."

"I agree." Glynda nodded as she watched the students pair up through the surveillance footage.

"Haha! It looks like my boy is partnered up with another promising student!" Hughes stated proudly. "And it's Kiri's boy no less!"

Ozpin smiled wryly. "Ah, yes..." he mused. "I had almost forgotten about that fact. Who would have that that Emiya found a son, much less a daughter, out on the streets?"

"The boy already received extensive training," Glynda noted. "Kiritsugu simply enforced it, and made it stronger. If given enough time, he could easily become one of the best Hunstmen Vale has ever seen."

"A feet that would make Kiri even happier." Hughes chuckled. "Still, Ludger's partnership is just as curious."

Curious had been a major understatement. Looking at what he saw, he finally understood Hughes' assessment of the girl known as Cielo Maverick.

She...definitely did not act like she did at the start of the Initiation. It was as if her personality did a complete 180. But after listening in on them, they now understood a little bit of the situation. She appeared to have a split personality, one that appears during combat.

This alternate self, known as Mielo, was experienced, versatile, and continuously adapting to the situation. She fought like a killer, targeting the greatest threat first, and eliminating it in the most appropriate way. It was also clear that she was perfectly aware of Cielo, and if the conversation between her and Ludger was any indication, she made it clear that anyone she perceived as untrustworthy would be eliminated with extreme prejudice.

Strangely, Ozpin felt as if he heard about this phenomenon before. He searched the archives of his brain, looking for that one, particular memory, but found only hazes. "Hughes," he turned to the man. "See what you can find out about Miss Maverick."

The man frowned. "I already told what I know based off of what I could find here in Vale." he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "I mean, what else do you want me to look?"

"Atlas." Came Ozpin's immediate answer, causing the two teachers to freeze. "And be thorough... even if you have to hack into Ironwood's mainframe."

"Ironwood...?" Hughes raised a brow beofre his eyes shot wide open. "W-wait...are you saying...?!"

"I'm not saying anything as of yet...merely following a hunch. Although...I truly hope that what I hypothesize isn't the case..."

"...Ozpin," Glynda narrowed her eyes at him. "Do you know something?"

"As I said, it's a hunch." the headmaster replied with a solmen, saddened tone. "However, if it's correct... Then we had best keep Miss Maverick away from James at all costs."

"Why?" the huntress frowned. What in the world could this one girl do against someone who went up against 'that' man of all people, and come back alive?

Ozpin's answer made a cold, unpleasant shiver run down her spine. "Because she just might try and kill him."

XXXXXXXXXX

The pathway to the temple had been relatively easy to find for Ludger and Mielo, especially given that the girl had scouted ahead, vanishing in an instant through what looked like a doorway of blue mist before appearing up above on a tree branch, scanning the area. It was relatively simple, reminding him of the Stonehenge Monument Julius told him about over in Vacuole. They had taken precaution, and carefully examined the area, looking for possible threats. Eventually, they found none, and proceeded.

"...looks like we're the only people here." Ludger remarked, looking all around the temple area. "Are we the first ones to get here?"

"Hardly," Mielo disagreed. "I found faint tracks leading away from here. I assume a few of the other teams have arrived, and grabbed the relics." Upon saying this, she frowned, looking at their objectives. "However, I must ask... Why Chess Pieces?"

"Maybe Ozpin is trying to tell us something through these?" He offered.

"Like what?"

"I dunno, just pointing it out there." he shrugged before picking up one of the pieces. It was a black pawn piece, which seemed to glisten in the sunlight. "Wanna take this one?"

"Any is ideal." Mielo replied before her eyes narrowed as she looked over her shoulder. "...There are other people approaching."

Ludger followed her gaze. True enough, he saw silhouettes within the darkness of the forest. "Seems like it."

Mielo sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I guess I better sleep for a while then." Ludger frowned at her terms before she closed her eyes. For a while, her body had become slack, almost like she were a puppet with its strings cut off. Then, her body jolted, and her eyes snapped open.

"WAAAAAAH! GRIMM! WOLVES! GRIMM RIDING WOLVES!"

Ludger jumped into the air from the sudden outburst. He definitely was NOT expecting this. This...this was Cielo...correct?

He figured Mielo must have switched since they were currently out of harm's way. But what was this about 'Grimm riding wolves'? Was she talking about Beowolves?

"...um, Cielo?"

The quirky girl seemed to have calmed down from her outburst, her body relaxing before she grinned. "Oh, Ludger! Long time no see~ What's up?"

"...You are Cielo, right?"

"I should be," the girl replied cheerily. "Unless there's two of me. Oooh, are there two of me?!"

'Yep,' he nodded in assurance. 'That's her.'

But from the way she's acting...does that mean she was unaware of Mielo's presence?

But... that didn't make any sense. Mielo had told him when they met that Cielo trusted him. That meant she had to be aware of this... splinter self of hers, for a lack of better terms.

"Sorry if Mielo seemed scary," Cielo told him, confirming his thoughts on the matter. "She can be like a mother hen sometimes."

Oh. So Cielo WAS aware...that made this less complicated.

"I see..." Ludger nodded before he frowned. "But, why did she let you have control back?"

Cielo giggled, scratching her cheek shyly. "I guess she's just embarrassed for other people to see her?" she guessed. "Then again, you're really the only person she's ever allowed to know about her."

"I am...?"

"Yeppers~! That makes you extra, super special!"

Ludger raised an eyebrow at this, totally confused. He was the only person aware of Mielo? Before he could ask about this further, the figures Mielo sensed left the forest, and stepped into the light.

It was Yang, and the black-haired girl from before, the one with the hair bow.

"Oh, Ludger! Hey, I guess you got here ahead of us!" She waved.

"Hey Yang!" He greeted back.

The blonde bombshell then noticed the blue haired girl from before.

"Oh, your... Cielo, right?"

"Yep yep~" the girl greeted, bringing a "v" sign, just like before. "What's up?"

"So, uh...You're Ludger's partner now, right?"

"Uh huh!" She nodded energetically.

The black-haired girl didn't seem to be particularly interested in their conversation, and instead looked around, noticing the chess pieces. She then turned to Ludger, who nodded at her in greeting. She politely returned the gesture before walking up to the pieces, examining them. "...I guess these are the relics?" she inquired.

"Yeah. Some of the other teams have already been here." he told her. "I'm Ludger, by the way."

"Blake."

"And I'm Cielo~!" the exuberant girl jumped in front of Blake's line of sight.

The girl jumped back, clearly surprised by her sudden appearance while Yang blinked rapidly, having just spoken with her only seconds before. "...how the heck?" she gaped. "What kind of coffee does this kid drink?"

Ludger chuckled wryly, scratching his cheek. "I think it's more along the lines of her being chipper 24/7."

"Heehee~! Cielo giggled as she skipped around the ruins. She was clearly enjoying herself.

"Ooookaaaay..." the blonde brawler shrugged her shoulders before turning to the pieces. "Chess pieces, huh..." She picked up one of them, a knight chess piece. "How about the pony?"

"Sure." Blake said.

"Uh, Yang...That's actually called a Knight chess piece." Ludger pointed out.

"Whatever," she shrugged, tossing it into the air repeatedly. "So, what did you take?"

Ludger showed the Pawn piece. Blake raised an eyebrow at their choice, but shrugged. "So, where's Ruby?"

"Heck if I know," Yang admitted. "I haven't seen you. She's probably riding atop a Nevermore for all we know."

Ludger raised an eyebrow. "Nevermore... Really, Yang?"

"Hey, I was just joking. It's not like she's actually going to do something crazy like that."

Before Ludger could form a response, a loud, piercing scream echoed into the air.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

"What was that?!"

"Sounds like a guy screaming like a girl." Cielo commented.

"Really? I thought it was some girl in trouble." Yang commented.

"Same here..." Ludger agreed.

Blake stared at the two, shaking her head before a loud 'boom' echoed in the air. This immediately brought them on edge, especially when they heard what sounded like screaming. "What in the heck is that-"

"OOOOOOUUUUUUUUT OOOOOOOOOOF TTTTHHHEEEEEEEEEE WAAAAAAAAAAAY!"

Cielo looked up, and tilted her head. "Is that... a giant blue fireball?"

"Wait, what?" The other three teen looked upward as well. Their eyes widened when they saw a massive blue ball of fire hurtling straight toward them.

"Everyone, scatter!" Ludger yelled out in panic as they all scrambled from the would be crash zone.

The earth shuddered upon impact, flames exploding everywhere when the falling fireball blew the ground apart.

"What the hell was that?!" Yang gawked as she hid behind a slab of stone. The other had the same sentiments.

"Was it a meteor? Are we being invaded by aliens?!" Cielo questioned.

Blake stared at the girl with large eyes, as if saying, 'Are you serious?' Their answer was soon received as the flames died down, a familiar figure rising up, stretching his arms. "Whoo!" Eden grinned. "Damn that was awesome!"

"...I am beginning to question your idea of fun." a monotone, quiet voice commented, revealing a slightly burnt form of a young teen with dark skin and tattoos lining his body. "Why did you think it was a good idea to use an Ursa as a launching pad before grabbing it?"

"Hey, it's a win-win situation! We managed to get here in record time in one piece, AND we took care of that pesky Grimm. See? Everyone wins! Well...except for the Ursa." Eden shrugged.

"You're unbelievable..." Nico sighed as he dusted the soot off of him.

Ludger gawked at the sight, unable to believe what he was seeing. He rode an Ursa... through the air... while it was ON FIRE?! 'What is he?! A pyromaniac?!' he thought in shock while Yang grinned, heavily impressed with his style. Cielo was more vocal, grinning.

"That was SO COOL!"

The two soot-covered teens whipped their heads to the sudden outburst. "Oh hey, it's that hyper girl from before." Eden pointed out. Nico elbowed him in the ribs to be quiet.

"So..." Yang started. "Did you guys here a girl screaming over while riding a giant blue fireball?"

Nico raised an eyebrow. "I heard a man screaming like a woman, but I don't remember hearing a girl screaming... unless a girl whooping in joy while hog-riding an Ursa Major counts."

"Wait, did you just say-?"

"YAAAAAHOOOO!"

The others turned to the direction of the forest. Before their eyes, several trees in the distance toppled over like dominoes. An Ursa Major staggered out of the chaos. The others got ready to fight, but they dropped their stances as the Grimm seemed to be suffering. A pink explosion impacted it from behind, causing it to topped face first to the ground.

"Yeehaw!" a female voice cheered as she rolled off the Ursa's back. She soon got back up on her feet and dusted herself off. "Aww...it's broken." She was a girl around their age with short orange hair and blue eyes. She was dressed in a short pink skirt, pink sneakers, and a pink blouse with a black collar. Her hands were garbed in pink fingerless gloves. A heart-shaped hole was present in the area between her collarbones. On her back was a large, metal firearm, presumably her weapon. She then jumped up on the deceased Grimm's head. Muttering a soft 'Eeeew".

Out from behind the motionless beast, another figure stumbled out of the forest. He was a human male around their age with long black hair tied in a pony tail with a pink streak on the side and pink eyes. He was dressed in a pair of white martial arts pants, green slippers, and a green martial arts tunic with black and gold edging and pink cuffs. He was leaning on the Grimm's carcass catching his breath. "Nora? Please...don't ever do that again." But as he looked up, the girl he was trying to talk to was nowhere in sight. Only a pink outline of where she once was remained. "Nora?"

"...did she..." Blake stared at the sight in absolute shock and disbelief. "Ride an Ursa?" She stared as the girl eyed the Rook piece on the podium.

"I'm Queen of the Castle~" the girl, Nora, grinned widely as she held up one of the chess pieces atop her head. "I'm Queen of the Castle~"

"NORA!" The green wearing teen yelled exasperated.

"Heehee~Coming, Ren." She saluted as she dropped the Rook into her hand before skipping towards him.

"Sheesh, what's next?" Yang asked rhetorically. "Vomit boy being chased by a death stalker?"

"Gyaaaaaaagh!" The girlish scream rang out again as the guy in question came hurtling through the air and landed in a tree not too far away. "...ow..."

Not too far behind, a girl with bright red hair and green eyes burst out of the foliage with a large Deathstalker on her tail.

Ludger face-palmed. "Okay, come on! This is ridiculous!" he snapped. "What else is gonna happen?!"

"YOOOOOOOOOOUUUU IDIIIIIIOOOOOOOT!"

Eden blinked, looking up, seeing a black shape flying across the sky. "Now, I could be wrong..." he started. "But... is that Yang's Sister falling from a giant Nevermore?"

"Yang!" Ludger whipped around to glare at the blonde for being right.

"Hey! How was I supposed to know?! I was only kidding!" Then she remembered and looked up. "RUBY!"

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP...!"

Nico, seeing the girl flying through the air, ran forward. His tattoos glowed, shining a brilliant red.

His gauntlets formed, layers of barriers appeared.

"Ruby!"

He slammed his fist down into the ground, and launched himself into the air, the earth beneath him obliterated from the strike, and the force providing him the perfect launching force.

He shot upward into the air, his trajectory set to intercept the girl's path to impacting the ground.

He caught her immediately, his arms wrapping around her waist.

"Eep!" Ruby yelped from the sudden close contact.

"Are you alright?" Nico asked her as they descended.

The girl was blushing heavily, shaking somewhat from the close contact. She could feel his ripped body, even from her clothes. "I-I'm fine..."

"YOOOOU IDIIIOOOT!"

A sweat dropped formed on her head afterwards. "Though I think I left Weiss behind."

"...Eh. I'm pretty sure she can get down on her own." Nico commented offhandedly. Soon, they landed on the ground, the earth falling in beneath their feet from the impact.

"HOW CAN YOU LEAVE ME UP HERE?!" Weiss cried out in outrage, looking down from where she was. She couldn't believe the nerve of that little brat! How dare she leave her up here?! Moreover, what kind of suicidal idiot jumps off the back of a Nevermore in the first place?! WHY WERE THEY EVEN RIDING ONE IN THE FIRST PLACE?!"

"I said jump..." Ruby reminded weakly.

"She's gonna fall." Blake said.

"She'll be fine." Ruby countered.

"She's falling..." Ren stated.

"Well, I'm not cleaning up that bloody mess." Eden stated.

"Bye-bye Ice Queen!" Cielo waved.

As the white-haired woman fell was being throttled to the ground, the blonde-haired teen from earlier that was tossed by the Death Stalker, which was still trying to impale the red-haired girl from earlier, saw the falling woman, and braced himself. "C-come on, Jaune..." he muttered, trying to assure himself. "You can do this... You can do this...!"

Steeling his nerves, he crouched down and kicked off into the air. He extended his arms forward and caught the girl just in time.

He bit his lip as he clung to her tightly, and unfolded his shield, closing his eyes. 'Remember what Pyrrha said! Remember what Pyrrha said!'

He closed his eyes and tried focusing his Aura into his shield. It was slow at first, but soon, a layer of glowing energy covered the plated surface.

He fell and hit the earth, hard. The ground cracked slightly underneath the shield while Jaune growled in pain, feeling the force of the impact shake through him, tumbling around the ground before he came to a stop, Weiss still in his arms. The heiress groaned, holding her head, as she had been thrown about like a rag doll through out that whole ordeal.

"You..." the blonde knight wheezed as he let go of her, managing to stand to his feet, albeit wobbly. "O-okay...?"

"I...I think so..." She groaned as she tried to stand up. Everything was spinning.

"Great," Yang commented sarcastically. "We've got a Nevermore, and a Death Stalker. Anything ELSE you wanna throw at us?!"

Cielo tilted her head. "Isn't that a bad thing to say?"

"Wait..." Ludger interjected as he finally realized something was off. "...where's Neo?"

As if to answer that question, a loud roar echoed across the air. The group whirled around, seeing something howling and snarling, trees shaking off into the distance. "I really don't like the sound of that..." Ruby said as she unholstered Crescent Rose, which quickly extended into it's scythe form.

"Neither do I..." Nico readied his gauntlets, the markings on his body glowed faintly.

"FINALLY! A REAL challenge!" Eden grinned in anticipation as he pulled out his sheathed sword.

Weiss brought out her rapier, taking her body into a stance while Blake brought out a large, black blade, connected to another with a black wire, into her hands. Yang grinned, and slammed her fists together, clearly excited for what was coming.

Ludger brought out his twin blades, slipping them into his preferred combat grip and falling into a stance, and Cielo had taken out her knives, her feet bouncing in joy about what she was likely to see. The two newcomers that came atop the Ursa also prepared for battle, bringing out their weapons: a hammer and a pair of dual pistols, sharp blades attached to them. Jaune had shaken himself out his stupor, and brought out his sword. Pyrrha had managed to get away from the Death Stalker, evading it before she tricked it's stinger into smashing the wall behind it, and collapsing the structure atop it. It wouldn't keep it there for long, but it would be enough to take down what was going to appear. That said, she was quick to join them.

The shaking trees were getting closer. The ground seemed to shudder with each step.

Whatever was coming...would be a monster!

"Get ready everyone!" Ludger called out.

They all tensed as the shaking continued to approach them with trembling shudders. Ludger prepared for what was going to appear, ready to strike at the moment.

However, what appeared out of the forest... it was...

"N-Neo?!"

The petite girl waved at the group. Unlike the previous arrivals, she rode in on a Beowolf. The poor Grimm seemed to be scared stiff and tried to shake her off. However, Neo was having none of it. She brandished her hidden sword and stabbed it right in its head. The beast fell over dead. She got off and merrily skipped over towards them.

"Okay..." Eden frowned. "Compared to how we all got here... hers was kinda lame."

Cielo nodded in agreement. "Anti-climatic... Though that was SO COOL!"

"Make up your mind!" Eden snapped.

Ludger, however, was both confused and relieved as he looked around Neo, and behind her. "Neo... did you not find a partner?" he asked, receiving a nod. That surprised the group. She made it here? Without a partner? That was very impressive. "I'm glad you're okay."

Neo shrugged before she motioned her hands. Eden frowned. "Hold on, I thought she could talk?" he asked, vaguely recalling her speaking to Ludger last night. "Does she only talk when she's alone with him?"

"Maybe." Yang shrugged, having been used to this.

Ludger, however, became concerned by what she was signing. "I don't understand sign language, so could somebody translate?" Jaune asked.

"She's saying we should be less worried about the Deathstalker and the Nevermore... and more on what's about to show up."

"Like what?" Ruby asked, looking up at the sky. She didn't see the bird from earlier... but something told her that it was going to come back.

Neo signed again... and this time, Ludger's heart sank. All the color drained from his face, his mouth hung from his jaw, and his eyes went wide.

"YOU BROUGHT WHAT WITH YOU?!"

The multi-colored haired girl signed again, confirming his fears. He felt like he was going to throw up right there and then,

"Wait, what did she bring?!" Jaune asked in a panic. Based on his tone of voice and reaction...it didn't seem to be pleasant.

Even Yang and Ruby were perturbed by this. Ludger never acted like this unless something REALLY terrifying was involved.

Then, they received their answer. It tore into the ground, the trees falling apart beneath it's charge before it reared it's head, announcing it's presence with a loud, snarling howl.

XXXXXXXXXX

"YOU BLITHERING IDIOT!"

"OWOWOWOWOWOW! Glynda, would you stop hitting me?!"

"HOW COULD YOU HAVE BEEN SO CARELESS?!" She barked at Hughes.

"Hey, I double checked the area!" the man argued, rubbing the massive bump on his skull. "I even triple checked! There was no sign of that thing showing up!"

Ozpin said nothing, continuing to observe the events unfolding on his scroll. Right now, thirteen students stood together against what could only be described as one of the most dangerous Grimm besides a Nevermore and a Death Stalker, and even those outside of Vale, residing in the failed settlement, that ever existed.

It stood as a gigantic beast, bearing four legs. Like all Grimm, it bore blackened fur, and white bone-like armor across its body. It was far larger than the Death Stalker with its tail in the air. However, it was not the size of the beast that made this Grimm so terrifying... it was its heads. Like the demon that stood guard at the Gates of Hell, it had three, snarling heads, one on each side, and a third in the center, all of which bearing sharpened, glistening white fangs, and bloody red eyes. Its tail was long and lashing, also covered in white armor. And all of its heads bared down at them, drool flowing between its many mouths.

"Well," he muttered, pushing up his sunglasses. "This is the first time a Cerberus decided to show up during Initiation." Concern flashed in his eyes as he looked at the pocketwatch in his hand. For a moment, a faint glow surrounded it.

Ozpin narrowed his eyes at the object. "I wonder how things will progress."

 **Initiation: END**

Next time: LNCE


	6. Chapter 6

**Co-Written with Demons Anarchy of Pride. The creator of many fantastic masterpieces such as: Fire Emblem: Eternity Unto Reformation, Code Geass: Lelouch of the R-eset, The Crow: DxD, Highschool, DxD: Shatter Destiny, RWBY's Reaper, Code Geass: The Miraculous Birthday, Fractured Reality, Code Geass: Suzaku of the Counterattack, Devil Survivor: Destiny Rewind, and some of his new projects, such as Lagrange 111: You Are (Not) Alone, Tokyo Ghoul: A Flowered Colored Darker Than Black, Persona 4: The Unseen Truth, Monarch, Kill the Deadly Sin, Code Geass: The Butterfly Effect, DxD: Final, DC Heroes: FORGOTTEN BLOODSTAINED LEGACY, DxD: Nocturne, Project, A Tale of Three Dragons, and more.**

 **I highly recommend you check them all out.**

 **I really appreciate your help, man. Couldn't have done this without ya!**

 **Thank you to all who continue to support this story.**

 **Also…..ALL FLAMES CAN JUST BURN IN HELL!... So don't even bother.**

 **We also rewrote bits of chapters 1 and 2 to be consistent with an idea that will be revealed this chapter. That is…IF you guys can get it...**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Chapter 4: LNCE**

It was settled. Ludger was officially cursed.

What other explanation could there be? Especially for these turn of events?

The hulking Cerberus growled as it glared at them, cold, soulless eyes boring deep into their very beings. It didn't help that the Death Stalker was almost free from its stone Prison. Not to mention the caws of the Giant Nevermore getting all the louder.

The thirteen Huntsmen in training were still in the ruins. They were all rooted in place. Faced before them were some of the most Dangerous Grimm to have existed.

But their objective was not to fight them. Their goal was to grab the artifacts behind them and return to the cliffs. There was no reason to remain here. And two pairs of partners and a single to-be-huntress still needed to retrieve one.

"S-so, uh..." Jaune laughed nervously. "A-anyone else think we should start running?!"

"I do." A few hands went up, all belonging to Ren, Blake, Pyrrha, Weiss, Nico, and Ludger. But the others had other ideas.

"N-no way!" Ruby shook her head, looking back to the temple. "We still need to get the relics!"

"How do you propose we do that?" Eden asked, grinning from the sheer insanity of it all. "We've got a Death Stalker about to wake up from a nasty nap, a Nevermore that's flying overhead, and we've got a Cerberus in front of us!"

"...You do know they are directly behind us, right?" Nico stated the obvious.

"Yeah, and all three Grimm around us are some of the toughest sons of bitches around." the blue Devil retorted. "So... anybody think we can get outta this alive?"

As if on cue, the Deathstalker broke free of its prison and roared. It then set its sights on the group. More specifically, the foolish blonde that grabbed its stinger before. It screeched before crawling toward them.

"Don't worry, I got this!" Ruby declared as she shot forward like a bullet, straight toward the incoming Grimm.

"Ruby, wait!" Nico reached out for her to stop. What she was doing was nothing but arrogance and idiocy. They didn't have time to fight the Grimm right now. Why was she acting so irrational?

But before Ruby could close the distance between herself and the Deathstalker, the Nevermore overhead flapped its wings, feathers larger than a human and stronger than steel rained down. Two massive quills stabbed right in front of the girl, stopping her advance. She tried to backtrack and regroup. But as she retreated, two more feathers descended and pinned her cloak to the ground. Ruby tried tugging it away with all her might, but she remained stuck. As this happened, the Deathstalker finally caught up with her. The girl could only stare in horror as the scorpion-like Grimm raised his stinger while the Cerberus shot out a ball of fire from its maw.

"RUBY!" Yang and Ludger cried. But a white blur and a dark red blur sped past them. The silver eyed girl closed her eyes, expecting the unbearable pain of the stinger impale her as she is burned to ashes.

However, seconds passed and she felt none of that. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes.

The golden stinger that was poised to run her through was held in place by a wall of ice.

And the flames that were shot at her were blocked by a transparent wall.

"You are SO childish!"

"Honestly... you are a bundle of trouble, Ruby."

Ruby gawked, seeing Nico and Weiss standing right in front of her. The white-haired heiress' rapier was embedded into the ground, trapping the stinger in its frozen prison. Nico stood in front of her, his arms crossed in front of him, and his tattoos glowing brightly. "And dim-witted, and hyperactive..." Weiss continued as she stood up, glaring at her with scrutiny. "...and don't even get me started on your fighting style." She paused. "And, I suppose..." she looked away, appearing to be slightly abashed. "I can be a bit... difficult."

Nico scoffed. "Understatement of the century..." he muttered. Thankfully, she didn't hear him.

"...but if we're going to do this," she looked back at Ruby, narrowing her eyes. "We're going to have to do this together. So, if YOU quit trying to show off, I'll be..." She hesitated once more, mentally cursing herself for doing so twice in a row. Nico, however, looked amused. It was clear she was not used to this. "Nicer."

Ruby looked at the ground. "I'm not trying to show off," she insisted. "I want you guys to know, I can do this."

Nico grinned at her. "You're fine, Ruby." he said, earning a nod of agreement from Weiss as the girl helped her up. As she pulled her up, Ruby got a better look at the Death Stalker, and her eyes widened, seeing not only had Weiss frozen its stinger, but also one of its pincers. "Come on, we've got to get back to the others." her friend insisted. The silver-eyed girl nodded, and quickly rejoined their comrades.

"Uh, guys…That thing's circling back!" Jaune pointed to the sky, noting the Nevermore in flight.

"Then it's high time we get the hell outta here. As much as I wanna kill these guys…" Eden gestured to the three Grimm. "…It's not our objective. So just grab the relics and go!"

"Right!" The teens who have yet to grab chess pieces for their pair nodded. Jaune was relieved. Run and live. A strategy he can live with.

Jaune, Nico, Neo, and Ruby quickly turned and grabbed the pieces closest to them. Ruby grabbed a White Knight piece, Jaune grasped a White Rook piece, and Nico and Neo took a Black Pawn piece each. Each of them looked at one another, feeling great accomplishment in getting closer to becoming huntsmen, despite the danger.

"Alright, we got what we came for, let's move!" Yang announced. They all nodded at once and fled the area.

As soon as they started moving, the Cerberus pounced into action, howling, snarling, and slobbering as it chased them down.

The Deathstalker screeched as it broke its frozen restraints and pursued them.

The Nevermore cawed as it reappeared, following its brethren.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Oh, great!" Weiss groaned. "Here they come!" Not too long after making clear of the Ruins, the Grimm were already seen tailing behind them.

Ludger scowled, realizing the situation that they were in. There was no way that they could face all three of them at once! They needed to take them out separately! 'But there all so closely packed...!' he thought as he turned to his friends. Then, he saw a moment of opportunity: an old bridge connecting to a cliff side.

"Guys, I got an idea!"

"What is it?" Ruby asked him, now a full on sprint.

"Ludger, I hope you know what your doing!" Yang shouted at him.

"Just shut up and run!"

The roars and cowls sounding behind them only served to hasten their pace. In almost no time at all, they reached the stone bridge connected to a stone ruin in the middle of a vast chasm.

"Just trust me on this! We have to make it to that bridge over there!"

"Eden!" Ludger called out. "How hard can you hit that Cerberus?!"

"Pretty hard! Why?!" the teen asked before he realized what Ludger had in mind. A wide grin formed of his face. "You are crazy!"

Just do it!"

"Aye aye, captain!" The teen mock saluted as he leaped back to the incoming Grimm.

Blue flames gathered around his sword, the Cerberus screaming at him as it thrust its head forward with the intention of devouring him. Sadly, it didn't get that chance as Nico, joining in, rammed his fist into its stomach, his tattoos glowing. Eden smirked as the flame-coated blade slammed straight into its jaw.

"Gruogh!" The beast growled as a semi-transparent blade tore through one of its jaws. All three sets of eyes glared down at the two huntsmen in training. Nico clenched his fists as Eden twirled his sword, grabbing the former's attention.

The markings that covered the dark, metallic body of the sheath glowed an intense cerulean. A thin veil of aura was layered over the main body, while a thin, sharp edge was made along the edge of the scabbard.

"That sheath...is projecting an aura blade?"

"Yep. Designed it myself. Sharpness and size depend on how much I put into it."

Nico nodded in approval before the Cerberus roared again, gaining their attention. "Whew," Eden waved his hand in front of his face. "Two words for ya, mutt! Tooth brush!"

"I doubt it would understand human speech, but I agree with you."

In response, the Cerberus roared once more, this time in outrage as it lifted its paw up, ready to sash them to the ground.

Both teens jumped away from the incoming limb.

As the two combated the Cerberus, the others continued to make a break for the bridge. The Death Stalker and the Nevermore continued to chase them down relentlessly, but they were far from done. "Ruby!" Ludger called out. "See if you can try and distract the birdy! Or find some way to shoot it down!"

"Got it!" The red hooded girl changed Crescent Rose to its Sniper mode and fired a few rounds.

The Nevermore easily evaded them, maneuvering around before it dived high into the air, flapping it's wings with gusto. It took only a second to realize what it was doing, and everybody immediately moved out of the way, avoiding being skewered by the incoming feathers. They pierced into the ground with ease, as if it were butter. The Death Stalker slowly approached, its mandibles twitching with anticipation of slaughtering the.

Pyrrha's eyes hardened, and brandished her spear. "You guys take care of that Cerberus and Nevermore," she told them, looking at her newly made companions. "Me and Jaune have the scorpion."

The blonde nodded in agreement before he fully registered what she just said. "W-wait, me?!" he gaped, nearly dropping his shield and sword. "U-um, I don't think that's a good idea...!"

"Don't worry, Jaune. You got this!" She reassured.

"N-no...I don't..."

"Jaune...you managed to channel your Aura just moments after awakening it. Trust me, you'll do fine!"

The blonde still looked uncertain. He was about to respond again when the black-haired teen, Ren, gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Don't worry," he told him. "We got your back."

"Yeah! Let's squash this bug!" Nora cheered.

Ludger nodded as he turned to Neo and Mielo. "You two ready?"

"Yes." The now battle hardened personality stated. Neo nodded in confirmation.

Ludger smiled, and then adopted his combat style, turning to where Nico and Eden were.

"Alright!" he roared. "Here we go!"

Their opponents chosen, the groups rushed in to combat them. They were going to get through this.

They were going to survive!

XXXXXXXXXX

"Divide and conquer, huh?" Hughes noted, rubbing his chin. "Not a bad move. Still, I wonder if they can really take them on. A Nevermore and a Death Stalker, maybe... But a Cerberus?"

"They're all talented, Maes." Ozpin told him. "That, and they have the abilities needed to survive. Now, it's all a matter if whether or not they can work together." A smile crossed his face. "That is, after all, the purpose of initiation."

"Haha...couldn't have said it better myself my friend." He chuckled. But then his gaze lingered onto the blue haired male on screen. "...I just hope he finally finds solace from the past."

"That all depends on him, Hughes." Glynda told him, giving him a reassuring nod. "After all, we've all had solace because of our teammates, have we not?"

The father chuckled at that. It was odd, earning encouragement from Glynda, but not fully unexpected. In fact, it was much needed. "You have a point there."

As they continued to watch the trainees combat the three Grimm on their own terms, Ozpin noticed a small, incoming call on his scroll. His eyes narrowed at the name display, and a small, bitter look crossed his face before he turned to the two teachers behind him. "Pardon me for a moment," he told them quickly, making his leave. Hughes and Glynda frowned, clearly seeing something wrong, but relented, not wishing to pry into his matters.

Once they were out of earshot, Ozpin tapped on the call button.

"It's been a while, Ozpin." a deep, bellowing tone echoed from the Scroll. "How long as it been? Eight? Ten years?"

The silver-haired professor scowled. "...Hello, Bisley." he answered, trying to keep his tone as civil as possible. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Oh come now, is it wrong for a man to call his younger brother and say hello?"

"...Not when said man hasn't called for nearly a decade." Ozpin spoke bitterly. "Now...what is it that you want? I know you are not the type of person who contacts others for no reason."

"I just wanted to see how you were doing is all." Bisley Bakur, the CEO of the Spirius Corporation, spoke with a tone of indifference. "Besides, you can't blame me for not calling you after so long. Being the president of a major company is quite the taxing endeavor."

"You mean dealing with the Fractured Dimensions." the headmaster replied. "I am well aware of that. I've had to deal with a few on my end."

A chuckle escaped the man on the other end. "So, I was right..." Bisley said, sounding rather pleased. "You haven't forgotten your blood."

Ozpin snarled, fingers digging into the scroll. "I wish I could forget this damned blood in my veins, Bakur." he retorted, referring to the man by his last name. "And I wish I could forget about YOU."

"Ouch. You sure know how to wound a man, Ozzy." Bisley feigned hurt. "Is this how you speak to your own brother?"

"You mean the very same brother that killed our parents, then yes!" The Headmaster spat.

"You know very well why I had to do that, Ozpin." The president spoke gravely. "I had no choice in the matter. It was necessary to gain power."

Ozpin's knuckles turned white. "Why did you call?"

"A little birdy told me that a rather, ah...special student...has enrolled at your academy this year."

Ozpin's eyes widened at who Bisley was referring to. He grit his teeth in rage.

"Stay away from him, Bakur." he warned. "If you lay so much as a single hand on that boy... I WILL kill you."

"Come now, Ozzy, can you really keep me away from my-"

"HE IS NOT YOUR SON, BAKUR!"

"And how can you be so sure?" Bisley calmly retorted.

Ozpin, for the first time since becoming headmaster, felt nothing short but pure, unbridled anger. "I will say this, only once..." he warned him. "If you so much as even put a FINGER! A FINGER! On Ludger..." From his pocket, a faint green glow could be seen through the fabric.

"It won't be Chronos that ends you."

He ended the call right then and there.

The Headmaster looked at his scroll in disgust, rage, contempt, and strangely, a bit of remorse. Even after nearly ten years, Bisley Bakur was still the same monster he became after Cornelia's death.

He took a deep threat, and tried to reign himself in as he switched back to the video feed of the students. He couldn't afford to lose his composure, not now. He exhaled heavily, and felt a tired sag overtake his shoulders.

It was going to be a long day.

XXXXXXXXXX

"So, seriously?" Roman asked as he twirled his cane around in his hand. "Mister 'I-hate-humans-like-they're-fucking-cockroaches' and Cinder were banging each other?"

"Yep," Xeno chuckled. "Going at it all. Night. Long. Gotta admit, never expected the boss lady to be a cougar."

"Hey now, don't let her catch ya saying that. Besides, she ain't THAT old."

"No. But she did snag a guy a few years younger than her into bed with her. Same meaning, different gap." Zeno shrugged.

"Even still..."

"What?" the maddening teen cackled. "Don't tell me you wanna tap that ass? I've seen a few of the boys sneaking a glance at her, and I kinda agree with 'em. Nice ass, long legs, good rack... but a terrible personality."

Roman chuckled. "Heh, I will admit that I thought about copping a feel... Buuuuuuut I'd rather not get my face melted off, or run through by a sword, thank you."

"Meh, your loss. Then again, you did yourself a plus for maintaining a long lifespan, my man. Besides, there are other hotties out there."

"Hm, true..." the orange-haired mobster nodded. "Still, what the hell does she see in that kid? I get that he's the freaking almighty Horseman of Death, but come on!" he complained, throwing his hands in the air. "Also, what the absolute hell is up with his 'I hate humans' shtick?"

"Who knows?" Xeno shrugged. "I don't know much about Micky boy, and quite frankly, I don't give a damn. I'm more interested in the Devil Boy and Aska's chosen." A grin formed across his face. "Gonna be interesting, don't you think? When was the last time the four ever came together?"

"Hey, you're the one with a Great Spirit." Roman replied. "You tell me!"

"Ah, ah, ah...I can't reveal everything to you, my friend...not yet anyway...The hallowed time is not upon us yet."

"...What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

"All in due time, Roman my man..." Xeno grinned. "All in due time."

Elsewhere, atop the warehouse where Roman and the White Fang were operating in, Mikaela sat atop the roof, his dull blue eyes looking up at the shattered moon above his head, his legs dangling over the edge while his hands remained in his lap. His hood was pulled down, revealing the entire mess of blonde hair that sat atop his scalp. From behind him, a pair of slender, red arms wrapped around his shoulders, and Cinder's face rested atop his shoulder. "What's wrong, my dear Mikaela?" she asked, a coy smile on her face. "Thinking about the world again."

"...yeah."

"And what about the world are you thinking of?"

"...how much I hate humans."

Her smile widened. "Am I included on that list of hatred as well?" she asked, despite knowing the answer. "After all, I'm human as well."

"No...no you are not." He shook his head as he turned to face her. "It's because you are MORE than those wretched beings...so much more..."

Cinder felt her face heat up a bit when she heard that, despite having heard such words many times before. He really did look so cute, that forlorn look on his face, and those big, wonderful eyes... Good lord, it should have been a crime to look so cute. "You know how to flatter a woman, Mika my dear..." she said, smiling. "And don't worry... By the time we get started, everyone will know."

"As it should be..." He rest his hand on her arm. "This rotten world will fall...and all the damn humans will perish. They will pay...they will all pay for what they did to them..." His eyes turned blood crimson for a brief moment, rage and sorrow welling up within him. An image of a younger Mikaela with several kids of the same or younger age appeared in his mind. But it was replaced in the next moment with a memory of blood and fire.

His eyes changed, however, when Cinder ran a finger along his throat, pulling up his chin, and placed her lips against his. The action took him by surprise, but didn't fight against it. Merely, he relented, and melted into the warmth it provided him. Her hands cupped his cheeks, passion exploding into the kiss as she deepened it.

They both melted into one another, their emotions flaring up into a vibrant flame with each passing moment.

Mikaela's hands curled underneath her arms, fingers running through her hair while Cinder wrapped her legs around his waist. Soon, they parted, only to dive back into each other's warmth, tongues dancing around in their mouths.

Everything around them faded. The sights, the sounds, the sensations, all of it. It was just them and them alone. The world long forgotten.

Eventually, however, they parted, only a string of saliva connecting their lips. Their faces were flushed, sweat slightly rolling down their face, and eyes glazed over. Mikaela, for the most part, looked slightly dazed as he panted. "We..." he said slowly, trying to catch his breath. "Should stop here... I really don't want to deal with that damned pest."

Cinder grinned. "Then we'll move to a hotel."

"...best thing I heard all night."

XXXXXXXXXX

The Cerberus was definitely not happy when Ludger had rammed its center head with his Sledgehammer, pinning it to the ground while Eden stood off to the side, flames dancing around his hand and sword, a wicked grin on his face. Nico stood behind the Grimm, keeping its lashing tail from whipping out to kill him.

"Neo, Mielo, NOW!"

"Right!" Mielo replied while Neo nodded. The former vanishing in a blue haze while the latter followed up behind Ludger and stabbed her sword into its leg.

The three-headed dog cried out in pain while Ludger jumped up, his sledgehammer retracting before he flipped it to the clipping on his hip, and pulled out his twin blades. 'Here goes nothing!' he thought. It was now or never. Julius had told him to only unveil what he was about to do if his life depended on it, or if he was protecting someone important to him.

Both conditions were met... now it was time to let loose!

"Time Disintegration!"

Both swords were enveloped in ethereal light. His arms moved like a blur, performing countless slashes that struck dead on in the area between the Cerberus' heads.

"GRRRRRAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOKKKKGH!"

The Giant Grimm howled in agony as the necks of two of its heads were shredded. The center and right head were barely hanging to its body as multiple gashes littered on the neckline.

Nico's eyes hardened as his tattoos glowed, and strength poured into his body. He slammed his foot into the ground, creating a small indenture, veins pulsing through his arms as he gripped the tail hard enough that cracks formed in the armor plating. He grunted and roared as he used his herculean strength, throwing the creature upward.

And that was where Mielo began her assault.

Out of another mass of bluish haze, she jumped out of nowhere and stabbed her twin swords into the beast's eyes. The creature kept howling as it suffered.

She was far from done. She yanked her swords out of its eyes, and leaped back into another bluish haze, only to appear again, this time at its side. Her body spun around, almost like a saw blade, as the blades tore through its ribs, creating a black mesh of fluid that sprayed everywhere. Again, she vanished into another haze, and appeared again, creating a large gash long its front right leg.

She continued to appear, and disappear, as she inflicted injury after injury upon the beast.

The others were amazed at what she was doing. All, aside from Ludger, wondered what happened to her. She was like a completely different person, there was no joviality anywhere.

Her final attack came from above, appearing from another haze. She shot out of it like a rocket, blades at the ready, and aimed at its back. "My turn," she glared as her blades glowed slightly. "Crashing Explosion!"

In a flash, the blades dug themselves into the monster's back. The force from the impact, coupled with her descent, caused the Grimm to shoot down to the earth. The Cerberus landed on the ground, cracks forming beneath its body. The tremor also shook the foundation of the stone bridges nearby.

The bridge shook and swayed slightly, bricks falling into the white abyss below them. Ruby and her group struggled to stay upright while Jaune and his friends nearly doubled over, the Death Stalker slamming its tail into the ground in order to keep its balance. "Be careful, will you?!" Weiss screamed. "Are you trying to make us fall of?!"

"Sorry!" Ludger hollered back an apology. That was never their intention.

Despite the wounds it's body had, it remained standing strong, and black mist flowed from its mouths. Its eyes shone with anger as it reared its heads and roared, creating a massive shockwave that caused the trees to shake.

"What the?! What's it going to take to keep this guy down?!" Eden growled as he shielded himself from the shockwaves.

"We still haven't hit it hard enough!" Nico scowled.

But the Grimm was not put out by that attack. After taking a second to reorient itself, the Cerberus rose once more, and if Grimm could display emotions, it would be experiencing absolute fury.

"Huh," Mielo commented. "A bit stubborn for a dog on the verge of death." A frown settled on her face. "...no, Cielo, we are NOT keeping it."

Ludger sweat-dropped. 'Who in their right mind would want a Cerberus for a pet?!'

He was beginning to wonder about Cielo's mental state. But quickly shoved those thoughts aside as a massive paw was close to squashing him. He backpedaled and launched two Azure Edges the moment the paw made contact with the ground. The resulting explosion made the beast lose its footing.

It slipped on its paw, falling to the ground and on its side. Eden leaped into the air, and swung his blade, creating an arc of flames. "Blaze Luminus!" he roared as the wave of flames crashed down upon it. Nico followed up, shooting toward its exposed underbelly.

"BEAST!"

A spectral beast's head, vividly reminiscent to that of a wolf's, appeared and struck the underside of the Grimm.

The creature roared in pain and rage, and struggled to stand back up to its legs. It reared its heads, and then opened its maw. Mielo's eyes widened when she saw faint red embers flow from between the fangs. "Everybody, MOVE!"

In the next second, it breathed fire.

Seeing the danger, the students on the ground scattered from the incoming plume of flames. Everyone except Eden that is.

He just stood there as the inferno raced toward him. He showed no signs of fear or alarm. Rather, his face was broken out in an exhilarated grin. He raised his free hand outward, as if trying to catch the fire.

At once, he was swallowed by the intense blaze.

"EDEN!" Nico screamed in horror, eyes wide. Ludger looked at the sight in terror, unable to believe what had just happened while Mielo simply looked at the sight with mere forlorn. While she was not familiar with the Blue Devil, she had found him to be an excellent partner and comrade. His loss was a horrible one, but she thought little of it. Cielo, however, screamed in the recess of where she was. Were she in control, tears would be falling from her face. Neo winced, closing her eyes. She really didn't like Eden all that much, but he was still some fun to be around.

However, as the Cerberus stopped the flames, they noticed something. Over the roaring heat, they heard it.

Laughing.

"HOOOOLLLLY CRAP YOUR BREATH IS RANK!"

They others gawked in the direction of the flames. Right before their eyes, the crackling, orange flames violently changed color to a brilliant azure. They then flickered and seemed to swirl and spiral into the center of the blaze. In seconds were now blanketing the form of the blue haired teen. It looked as if he were a Demon from the flames of Hell. "I WAS right; you really need a tooth brush. Maybe some industrial strength mouth wash to boot.

Eden cracked his shoulder, neck, and knuckles, glaring down the stunned form of the Cerberus. "Alright, let's try this again!"

The flames all over his body gathered around his sheathed blade. With a single swing, a cerulean inferno blazed forth.

"Infernal Torrent!"

The burning arc flew and consumed the hulking body of the blackened beast.

The creature howled as the flames consumed it, thrashing about and snarling. Eden cackled, throwing his head back. "Hahahahaha! Burn, baby! Burn!"

'...He really is the Devil...' the others thought as they witnessed Eden take extreme joy in causing the enemy to suffer.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hahahah!" Hughes grinned. "That's my boy!"

Glynda groaned, running a hand down her face. "My god," she muttered. "You've turned him like how you were when you were his age."

"Well what would you expect?" Hughes pushed up his glasses. "He IS my son after all."

"ADOPTED son you mean." Glynda reminded.

"Differences!"

Ozpin shook his head in amusement as his two friends continued to argue.

He had enough time to calm down from his argument with Bisley, though the conversation was still fresh in the back of his mind.

Silently, he reached into his pocket and grasped his pocket watch. He would be damned if he let his brother anywhere near Ludger. He made a promise to Claudia, and he was determined to keep it.

"What do you think, Ozpin?" Hughes' voice brought him to reality, the fatherly man grinning at him as he looked away from his scroll. "You think their Huntsman in the making?"

The man smiled back. "They'd have to be," he replied coolly. "Otherwise they wouldn't be here at Beacon."

"Heh, my thoughts exactly."

"Well, at the very least, the other teams appear to be handling themselves well." Glynda remarked as she pushed up her glasses. "Those three are the only teams left now."

"Indeed. And one can expect great things from them in the coming times..."

XXXXXXXXXX

Jaune was not liking this plan.

When he saw the pink-clad ginger transform her weapon from grenade launcher to hammer on the broken stone platform they were on, he knew she came up with an insane idea.

He should've just kept his mouth shut.

Honestly, what the hell was he thinking? Why couldn't he have just stayed quiet?! And why did she think it was good idea to launch them at a DEATH STALKER?!

These questions rushed through his mind as he was tossed into the air and landed rather harshly on solid ground. Ren and Pyrrha were still busy combating the scorpion-like Grimm.

"Ow..." he groaned, rubbing his rear end as he stood up. "Never doing that again..."

"NORAAAA SMAAAAAAAASH!" The energetic teen cried out as she slammed her weapon onto the back of the Deathstalker.

The Death Stalker squealed. An explosion crushed it down before Ren opened fire on the beast. His bullets seemed to have little effect on it, though Pyrrha was quick to follow up on the attacks, her spear knocking back any pincers that came a bit too close for comfort, and using her Semblance to control the flow of her spear. It almost seemed as if her spear was dancing with her, striking away at the thick plates before leaping back, avoiding a strike from its tail. Nora landed behind it, and grinned as she twirled her hammer's shaft around, gripping it tightly before she adopted a batter stance.

"HOME RUN!" she yelled as she slammed the hammer into its backside, where the tail and body met. The creature was sent tumbling forward with the explosion created, left dazed and staggering, evident by the sway of its hulking frame. 'The armor's too thick!' Jaune cursed. 'How do you break through it?!'

It wasn't until Pyrrha had deflected a strike from the lashing of it's stinger that a light bulb light up in his head.

"Ren! Aim for the stinger!" Jaune called out from behind. The green clad man looked at the tail and understood what he was planning.

"Got it!" Ren broke out into a dash towards the Deathstalker, Pyrrha and Jaune moving in ahead of him.. As soon as he got close, the beast tried to skewer him with its pincers. But Pyrrha parried the one coming from the left and slashed its arm while Jaune deflected the right. Ren continued his advance even when the Deathstalker tried to impale him with its stinger. It struck the ground just in front of him. But it gave him an opportunity to climb up and flip onto the monster's giant tail. He hung on and fired many bullets at the base of the stinger, eliciting a pained cry from the Grimm.

Nora followed up by switching her weapon, Magnhild, to its grenade launcher form and fired a few rounds. The Deathstalker forced Jaune and Pyrrha back before shielding itself with its pincers. As the Spartan slid back while the Knight tumbled. She readied her spear, Milo, which glowed brightly.

"Riot Javelin!"

She threw her weapon with all her might. The mana infused spear flew through the gap in The Grimm's defenses and stabbed itself into one of its eyes. In agony, the Grimm flailed, its tail flinging Ren off and slamming him into a far off wall. Meanwhile, Pyrrha retrieved her weapon and regrouped with Jaune and Nora.

Jaune pulled himself up to continue the fight. He then noticed the stinger on the Deathstalker was now dangling haphazardly right above its head. Seeing the opportunity, Jaune faced his partner. "Pyrrha!"

"Done!" Understanding what Jaune was implying, she threw her shield, Akuo, like discus. It flew and slice through the weakened portion of the Grimm's tail, causing the golden stinger to fall and stab into its head. The shield came around and Pyrrha caught it.

"Nora!" Jaune called out. "Hit that stinger as hard as you can!"

Nora grinned widely as she slammed her hammer down on the ground, the explosion sending her flying to the air. The blonde knight gawked at her antics, standing atop the flat-end piece of the shaft with a hand above her eyes, as if scouting the area, before she propelled herself down, her target clear in sight.

"DIVING EAGLE BABY!"

She slammed her hammer down, and in the next second, a sonic boom cracked through the air. The armor plating cracked apart, and the stinger slammed down on its skull.

"GHREEEEEEEEEEEEE!" The Deathstalker screeched as life quickly ebbed away. The ground beneath it also crumbled from the force of the impact and was sent tumbling down to the abyss below.

Once the battle had ended, Jaune collapsed to his knees, the adrenaline leaving his system. Pyrrha followed soon after, completely winded from the fight. Ren walked up to the trio...and fell flat on his face in pure fatigue.

"Ow.." he muttered. "I... hurt all over."

Jaune laughed weakly. "I feel your pain brother..."

XXXXXXXXXX

"...you have got to be kidding me," Ludger gaped. "It's STILL alive?!"

He and the others were staring down at the massive Grimm that just REFUSED to stay down. Even through it had numerous lacerations on its body, scars on its ivory armor, as well as missing two of its heads, the Beast remained standing.

"I burned it at the stake, and it's still standing." Eden raised an eyebrow. "Talk about one stubborn son of a bitch."

"Agreed." Nico nodded as he cracked his knuckles. "Then again, they don't call a Cerberus one of the most tenacious Grimm for nothing."

"Then we'll just have to continue knocking it down." Mielo said simply, twirling her blades in her hands. "What do you suggest, Ludger?"

The white haired teen remained silent. His eyes were narrowed in contemplation. No matter what they did, the Cerberus just wouldn't die. Even with artes, it remained standing.

'There's got to be a way to take this thing down...!'

XXXXXXXXXX

"WILL!" Bang. "YOU!" Bang. "JUST!" Bang. "GO!" Bang. "DOWN?!"

Yang cried in frustration as she fired shot gun rounds into the Nevermore's open mouth.

The bird was honestly grating on her nerves. She unlocked shell after shell after shell into it once they had managed to bring it down to the bridge. She had expected to bring the damn thing down to its proverbial knees, but it remained standing. No matter how many punches and blasts she unloaded into it, it still continued to slowly rise. It would soon take off, and then the aerial battle would begin once again.

Ruby had other plans. Crescent Rose was in weapon form, reared back as if ready to charge. Behind her, Blake had made a catapult of sorts, as she was pushed back to the brim, almost like a slingshot. Weiss was beside her, rapier at the ready.

"Hmph." The heiress muttered. "Only YOU would be crazy enough to come up with a plan like this."

"Maybe...but this is the only way. You think you can make this shot?"

"Hmph! Can I?"

Ruby now looked unsure. "...Can you?"

"Of course I can!" She snapped.

Ruby grinned. "Then don't miss."

Weiss harrumphed, and performed a twirl, runes dancing around her before she aimed the tip of her rapier at the Nevermore. Yang, at that very second, delivered a heavy uppercut to the Grimm's jaw, knocking it upward.

"FIRE!"

Weiss flicked her wrist, and the digits that held Ruby in place released as she was launched forward. She fired shots from Crescent Rose for further acceleration.

In her trail leading up to the bird, rose petals flew behind her. Shots resounded in the air as the scythe came ever closer to the Nevermore. Ruby narrowed her eyes, squeezed the trigger, and allowed herself to go faster.

A second later, the scythe held the Nevermore by the neck. The two slammed into the wall of earth, creating a small tremble that reverberated across the stone bridge. However, Ruby emerged from the cloud of debris, charging up the cliffside, Nevermore still trapped in her weapon. She continued to increase her speed, shooting bullet after bullet after bullet to increase acceleration.

Sigils appeared beneath her feet, courtesy of Weiss, as she ascended. The Avian Grimm gagged and croaked as the blade dug deeper into its flesh.

The girl was quickly climbing up the cliff, the gigantic Grimm dragged along with it, tearing up a path behind her. Ruby leaned in, increasing her speed.

Finally, she reached the top of the cliff, and her scythe ripped forward, slicing all the way through the black, darkened skin, and piercing straight through the bone. A gust of wind sent rose petals and feathers scattering into the air, while the Nevermore's head flung overhead.

The massive winged body fell as its head was cut off, now falling lifelessly to the chasm below. The others who survived their battles could only stare in awe.

"Well," Yang smiled. "That was a thing."

"Wait...what about the others?" Blake wondered.

As to answer that question, Nico went flying past them, his body smashing straight into the remains of an old tower. The group, startled, looked over to where Ludger and the others were fighting the Cerberus. Its fur was burnt and singed, its flesh torn apart, both heads all but gone, and horrible scars lingered on its body, and its armor all but shattered.

And yet, even still, the Cerberus stood, and fought against them. It currently had Eden in its jaws, flames cloaking his blade as he struggled to keep himself from being swallowed while Ludger kept its paw from squishing him into the ground, his sledgehammer keeping it at bay.

"N-Neo!" the silver-haired teen groaned, feeling his strength slowly being pushed down. "Little help?!"

The quiet girl nodded and rushed up next to him. She placed a hand on his shoulder, and the both of them vanished in a flash of light.

The paw crashed down to the ground, though the two had appeared away from it. Nico shook his head as he emerged from the rubble, a hand on his temple. "Okay..." he muttered. "It's officially on." His marks flared, and his eyes glowed. "My turn, jackass."

His fingers dug into what little remained of the tower, veins throbbing over his skin, and pulled it over his head. Ruby's group, and Jaune's, could hardly believe what their seeing as he held a giant structure above him, hands holding it in place, before he slammed both feet forward, and reared his arms.

"BOTTOMS UP!"

He chucked the massive piece of the structure with all his might. It soared through the air at great speeds straight at the Cerberus.

The mass of stone made its mark as it broke to pieces upon impact, burying the Grimm in its remnants.

The shards and fragments pierced into its burnt hide, causing it to scream in pain. Saliva flew out of its mouth, some slathering over Eden. "Oh, come on!" he complained as he increased the flames over his blade. "This is my favorite jacket, you asshole! It's gonna take me forever to get this out!" He pried open it's mouth, and leaping out. Once he was out, he twirled his blade around into an underhand fashion, and aimed for its gaping jaw. "Payback, motherfucker! BLAZE GLORY!"

Another arc of flames this blaze was much more intense than before, and separated into two lines of flames before twisting into a double helix. The twin pillars of fire criss crossed one another before slamming into the Cerberus, consuming its body in an azure inferno.

"GRRRRROOOOOOAAAAAGH!"

The blackened beast roared in defiance as the flames lapped away its skin. Eden grinned at first, but his eyes widened when he saw red glaring eyes directed at him from beneath the flames. In the next second, it charged straight at him, mouth open, ready to swallow him whole. "A-ah shit! Not again!"

The Cerberus slammed its jaws down, clamping on it's intended target. It slid to a stop, whirling on it's legs while the flames lingered on it's already damaged skin. It growled in confusion when it felt nothing within its maw, but then felt its eyes widen when it saw a blue haze emerge beside Neo and Ludger, revealing Mielo and a tired looking Eden. "A bit..." he panted. "Close for comfort... Dont'cha think?"

"Oh, put a sock on it, Eden." Mielo scoffed as she turned her attention back to the Cerberus, which now displayed its anger with a heated glare. "I never knew such an enduring Grimm existed."

"Indeed," Nico said in agreement as he stood alongside them. "It's proving to be quite the adversary."

"Even so...!" Ludger stepped forth, his blades glowing brightly. "We will not be finished here! We came to Beacon to become Huntsmen, to achieve our goals, and to defeat the Grimm. There is no way we are just going to be defeated, we will live! We will keep moving forward!"

Neo smiled at that as she twirled her blade around, her eyes shifting colors for a brief moment. Eden smirked as he swiped his blade, flames blanketing the sheath. Nico grinned as he cracked his knuckles, and Mielo simply braced herself for the charge.

The Cerberus reared its head, and dark embers flew from its mouth. In the next second, it breathed fire once again.

[RWBY OST: "Die"]

"Eden, take point!" Ludger instructed.

"Right!" the blue haired male charged straight ahead through the approaching flames. The burning stream turned from orange to blue as the Grimm's flames became Eden's own. Using the enemy's power added to his, he flung the inferno back at its source.

The blast exploded in its face, causing the single-headed beast to stumble back. It snarled, and retaliated by swiveling its body, its armored tail aimed to strike him down. The attack never struck, as Mielo, in another haze, warped in front of the teen, and knocked the attacks back.

"Nico, knock him off balance!"

"On it!" The shirtless teen nodded as the markings on his body glowed bright red. Transparent plates formed around his gauntlets as he rushed in.

The Grimm slammed its paw down on him, but the teen was already in stride. He reared his arm back, and threw a straight punch to its foot.

"Phantom Impact!" An explosion appeared in the direction of where Nico punched. The Grimm howled in pain as it reared on its hind legs.

"Neo, Mielo!"

Both females of the group nodded, then vanishing into a blue haze.

Then, they appeared on either side of it, swords at the ready.

"Blight haze!" Mielo shouted as her arms moved in a blur, the blades in her hand shredding through the Grimm's broken hide.

Neo twirled her sword around, and spears of light manifested around her. "...Lunatic Stinger!"

The spears pierced straight into the skin, and it howled with pain, falling to the knees.

'This is my only shot...' Ludger' eyes narrowed as he charged straight forward. He threw his hammer and guns into the air, blades drawn. 'It's now... or never!'

'Remember, Ludger...' he recalled what Julius told him. 'This isn't an arte you can do over and over again. The amount of power that you exert into it goes beyond something like an arcane arte, or a dual arte. This is meant as a last resort, and the final blow. If you can land this, the enemy may as well be finished. But, you need to remember, you can only use it so many times. In your case... one shot is your limit.'

"Now...!"

He dashed forward, his body moving into a rhythm as he slashed straight through the Cerberus, creating several gashes all across it's body before he re-appeared behind it. He slammed the blades into the ground before charging again, catching his sledgehammer in the air.

'This arte may not be like mine... but you can bet it will still leave your foes crippled.'

"The Ritual...!"

A bright glow encompassed his weapon as his feet swiveled across the ground, slamming it straight into it's torso. The force of the blow was strong, creating a small, pulsing shockwave that ripped off a good chunk of it's torso, creating a low-pitched howl of pain.

"Of...!"

The hammer was slammed straight into the ground, like his dual blades as he swiftly whirled around, catching his dual guns. The Cerberus, in an attempt to swipe him down, swung his paw. However, Ludger was spinning even into the air moving right above it. In that same instance, he allowed a spray of bullets to shoot straight at the creature, leaving it only wide open, and piercing straight into it's body, bursting out from it's back.

'The name of this arte is...'

As soon as his feet touched the ground, he aimed his handguns, and pulled the trigger.

"DESTRUCTION!"

Countless bullets shot out from the firearms all at once, each one bathed in an intense, bloody light. The bullets flew around haphazardly with no direction. But immediately afterward, they curved in direction, all now aimed at the massive Grimm.

Each bullet was shot straight into the Cerberus' body. The massive figure spasmed painfully as its body was pierced over and over again.

In the next second, the bullets, which had now embedded themselves into the massive Grimm, glowed. Ludger twirled his guns around in his hands, and slipped them into his holster, turning his back to the Cerberus.

Then, an explosion of light followed, tearing apart the Cerberus' body, piece by piece, obliterating strands of muscle and bone.

As the chain of ruptures ceased, the torn and charred remains of the monster fell in a lifeless heap.

The group was left in utter awe. Mielo stared at him with a smile of approval, giving a nod before she closed her eyes, her body becoming slack. Soon afterwards, she opened them again, and Cielo gave him a bright grin. Eden grinned at him, giving him a thumbs up, which he returned in kind. Nico smiled, giving him a nod of acknowledgement. Neo gave him the biggest smile he had ever seen, reminding him of when they had first met, and smiled back.

"Damn," Yang commented, leaning against what little remained of the statue on the bridge they stood on. "Gotta admit... Ludger knows how to go out with a 'bang.'"

Weiss rolled her eyes at the terrible joke, but couldn't help but applaud Ludger's capabilities. He proved himself to be agile, resourceful, capable, and held all the qualities of a leader. That, and they had managed to defeat one of the most terrifying Grimm ever known, a feat worth every mention. There was little doubt that he was deserving of his title as a Huntsman. "Ludger Kresnik, huh..."

Blake, for her part, was greatly impressed with what she had seen. Though these people had only just come together, they had built a strong bond, and had become a great powerhouse that took down perhaps one of the most terrifying beasts one could dread to encounter. There was little doubt that, with abilities like theirs, they would be one of the best teams Beacon would ever have.

From atop the cliff, Ruby smiled at the sight of Ludger and his friends standing victorious. "Way to go, Ludger."

Jaune and his group were equally in awe and amazement, having never seen a fight like that. Then again, they had been in a fight for life and death earlier, but the battle against the Cerberus had made theirs look like a walk in the park. "Those guys are crazy..." the blonde knight commented, chuckling. "Makes you wonder if we can even hack it if guys like that are gonna be here."

He felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder coming to him from behind. Turning, he saw Pyrrha giving him an encouraging smile. "Hey, what's with the mopey look?" she asked him. "We just beat a Death Stalker, and those guys," she gestured to the four girls on the other end of the bridge. "Just chopped off a Nevermore's head... We definitely kick ass."

"We kick butt!" Nora cheered, hands in the air while Ren smiled widely.

"It's not always the win that counts." he said as he walked over, offering a hand to Jaune, as he had yet to stand up. "I'm Ren, by the way. And miss energetic over there is Nora."

Jaune smiled, accepting the hand. "Jaune... Nice to meet you."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Russell Thrush, Cardin Winchester, Dove Bronzewing, and Sky Lark. You four retrieved the black bishop pieces. From this day forward you will be working as team CRDL (Cardinal). Led by, Cardin Winchester." the crowd applauded as the newly appointed team stood proud.

The headmaster turned to the next team as they stood ready. "Jaune Arc, Lie Ren, Pyrrah Nykos, and Nora Valkyrie. The four of you retrieved the white rook pieces. From this day forward you will work together as team JNPR (Juniper). Led by, Jaune Arc."

Jaune paled when he heard the man, "Huh?...led by?" he asked while the team congratulated him. Ozpin nodded, "Congratulations, young man." Pyrrah punched Jaune in the arm and he toppled over not expecting it.

Ruby, Yang, Blake and Weiss came next. "Next we have Blake Belladonna, Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee and Yang Xiao Long. The four of you retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day forward you will be working together as team RWBY (Ruby). Led by, Ruby Rose."

Ruby stood stunned just before Yang glomped on to her, "I'm so proud of you!" she shouted over the applause.

Finally, Ludger, Nico, Cielo, and Eden came up next. Neo followed but hung back as per the instructor's orders. As Ozpin stared at the final four, he couldn't help but hold some pride for the white haired male. "Finally, we have Ludger Kresnik, Nico Bodaveg, Cielo Maverick, and Eden Flaemis. The four of you have retrieved the Black Pawn Pieces. From this day forward you will be working as Team LNCE (Lance). Led by, Ludger Kresnik."

Ludger's eyes widened, nearly stumbling back in shock. Eden and Nico, however, simply shrugged their shoulders as they looked at their newly appointed team leader. "Hey, I know when I'm the ideas man." the Blue Devil chuckled, patting Ludger on the back. "Gonna be one helluva partnership, leader~"

"I agree with this accommodation." the tanned male nodded in agreement.

Cielo merely rushed up, and jumped up on the young man, wrapping her legs around his waist, and her arms around his neck. "Woohoo!" she cheered, rocking back and forth on top of him. "This is gonna be awesome~! Let's do our best, Ludger!"

"Y-yeah!" the silver-haired teen wheezed, prying the eccentric girl's arms off of his neck, allowing him some breathing room. It was only now that he registered Ozpin's words. "Wait..." he looked back to his parasol wielding friend, who gave him a cheerful smile. "What about...?"

"Do not worry." Ozpin reassured him. "Due to the odd number of people making past the Initiation this year, we have decided that Miss Neapolitan has the liberty to choose which team she will join as a reserve member of sorts."

Ludger sighed in relief, a hand on his chest. It was a huge load off his chest. Neo, ever since he told her of how he wanted to become a Huntsman, had also wished to join him on such a grand adventure. To his surprise, and joy, the odd-haired girl walked up to him, and gave him a pat on the shoulder.

"...can't get rid of me that easily."

"I wouldn't ever dream of it." Ludger smiled back.

"So it is settled. Miss Neapolitan will be joining Team LNCE from this day forward."

The crowd erupted into cheers while the Headmaster, alongside Maes Hughes, smiled at the newly made teams.

"Things are definitely going to be interesting this year," Ozpin commented, taking a sip of his coffee. A smile crossed his face soon afterwards.

'You would be so proud of him, Claudia...'

XXXXXXXXXX

"Remind me again," Roman sighed. "Why are we going to meet this guy?"

Adam ignored him as they continued to walk down the long corridor. The building was located on the very outskirts of Vale, and considering the state of the building in question, it would not be far off to guess that hardly anyone would ever think of looking here. In all honesty, it was a wonder to the mobster as to how the damned place was even still standing, given how disheveled it looked.

"Nice pad you got," Xeno commented, his hands behind his head. "Though a little bit run down."

"...be quiet," the red-haired Faunus snapped. "The Throne Room is up ahead."

Roman snickered. "Your boss has a throne room in this dump?"

"Silence! Mind your tongue in the presence of our leader!" Adam barked.

"Ooh...I'm so scared." Roman mocked. "Just what is it with this guy that makes him so 'high and mighty'?"

"Guess we're gonna find out, Roman my man." Xeno said. They shortly reached a pair of twin, iron doors, partially stained with rust. "Well, here we are. Let's hope the leader of the White Fang is interesting."

Adam said nothing, and instead placed both hands against the iron doors. They opened with a loud, shuddering creak, slowly pushing outward. The "throne room" was giant and empty, the only illumination being the moon's illumination flowing through the open windows near the ceiling. At the very end of the room was an old throne, made of crumbling rubble. The two couldn't get a good look at who sat on it, as they were shrouded in darkness, and could see very little of him, sans his giant boots, heavily armored, his black coat guilded with silver, and the giant, claw-like hands that rested top the armrests. The masked Faunus took a few steps into the room before he kneeled.

"Sir," he spoke, his tone loud and clear. "Cinder's men have arrived."

There was no verbal response from the leader of the White Fang. Roman, for his part, looked unimpressed as he strode past Adam, his cane resting on his shoulder. "You the guy in charge out of this lovely outfit?" he asked. "Cause trust me, you could use some redecorating here. Your 'castle' looks like it'll fall on your head, old man."

Xeno held back a laugh. Typical Roman, trying to piss off the big guy in charge of a terrorist cell. Strangely, there was still no response from the man on the throne, which seemed to annoy Roman. "Look, I personally don't mind the silent treatment here, but we are here to deliver a message, and I'd like to hear the voice of the guy I'm supposed to act all buddy-buddy with."

Again, no response. Roman scowled in annoyance, and strode up to the throne. "Hey, you listening-?!"

He was cut off when one of the hands grabbed him, gripping deep into his skull. Roman's startled shouts were muffled as the hand covered his face, eyes revealed between the fingers. Now so close, he got a good look at the leader of the White Fang...

...and he was terrifying, in all sense of the word.

"...Lion's Howl."

As soon as he muttered those two words, a mass of malevolent energy erupted from his palm, taking the shape of a roaring lion's head. Roman was thrown back and hit the opposing wall. Hard. He went right through the decrepit structure.

Adam, head bowed, smirked while Xeno whistled, clapping his hands. "That was cool," he said as he turned to see the leader of the White Fang, who was now standing up. "I guess you're far from being some old man."

Finally, the leader of the White Fang stepped out of the shadows.

He was massive, standing well over seven feet tall. He was heavily built, his body rippling with muscles. His body seemed to emit malice itself. His head resembled that of a lion's, being brown with dark streaks around his crown and mane, which was wild and long, reaching down his mid-back. The skin on his face held a dark, ashy complexion. His eyes were a sharp gold and fierce like those of the king of beasts. Resting by his feet was a dark tail, covered in metal blades.

But what stood out was his chest. There was no flesh nor cloth on it. All that could be seen was a mass of vile, purple energy.

"...the Horseman of Conquest." the beast that stood before Xeno and Adam breathed, its tone cold, deep, and chilling. Just him being in their presence was enough to make the room feel as cold as if they were in the arctic. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Xeno smirked. "A message from Cinder." he answered. "It's almost time for the plan to move to Phase 2."

"...I see..." The man nodded. He raised his left hand and snapped his clawed fingers. Immediately after, the building started to shake.

Adam stood up as Roman began to pull himself up from the hole the leader of the White Fang created when he blasted him with that attack earlier. Xeno, on his part, was laughing. "Blowing up your own base, huh?" he asked. "Typical bad guy move."

"...enough jests, Horseman." the beast responded to his joke with indifference. "Before we go past this point, I wish to know... What is your reasons for siding with that woman?"

"Isn't it obvious?" he shrugged his shoulders, a malicious grin forming across his face. "To rule over everything... and cause as much chaos as I want while I do it."

"Is that all?"

"No... I want to bring the Four together." Xeno replied, his grin growing. "After all, what better way to have some fun than to bring together the Four Spirits themselves?!"

The beast snorted. "I see your lust for destruction is worthy of your nature as Shadow's Host." he commented as he walked forward, Adam walking alongside him as they strode out of the room, even as the building continued to shake. Roman, recognizing the danger of staying here any longer, followed after him. "Very well... After all, humanity has grown frail."

Xeno chuckled as he followed after them, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Oh yeah..." he muttered to himself. "I can tell..."

His eyes flashed, and his shadow warped, becoming a demented, hellish being.

"...you and I are going to have a lot of fun, Heldalf."

 **-LNCE: END-**

 **Next Time: The First Day**


	7. Chapter 7

**Co-Written with Demons Anarchy of Pride. The creator of many fantastic masterpieces such as: Fire Emblem: Eternity Unto Reformation, Code Geass: Lelouch of the R-eset, The Crow: DxD, Highschool, DxD: Shatter Destiny, RWBY's Reaper, Code Geass 00, Fractured Reality, Code Geass: Suzaku of the Counterattack, Devil Survivor: Destiny Rewind, and some of his new projects, such as Lagrange 111: You Are (Not) Alone, Tokyo Ghoul: A Flowered Colored Darker Than Black, Persona 4: The Unseen Truth, Monarch, Kill the Deadly Sin, Code Geass: The Butterfly Effect, DxD: Final, DC Heroes: FORGOTTEN BLOODSTAINED LEGACY, DxD: Nocturne, Project, A Tale of Three Dragons, A Dragon Darker than Black, Code Geass: Kill the Rebellion, RWBY: Colorless Memories, RWBY: Black Rebellion, and more.**

 **I highly recommend you check them all out.**

 **I really appreciate your help, man. Couldn't have done this without ya!**

 **Thank you to all who continue to support this story.**

 **Also…..ALL FLAMES CAN JUST BURN IN HELL!... So don't even bother.**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Chapter 5: The First Day**

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUP!"

The loud, obnoxious, and blaring noise caused everyone, and possibly others outside the room, to jolt of their beds, smacking into the ground. Ludger found hitting the ground, face first while Nico landed on his back, causing him to wince in pain. Neo was one the lucky one, as she simply jolted upright, looking around wildly in search of the cause.

Eden, however, continued to sleep peacefully in his bed, snoring away while loud music blared in his ears.

"Ow..." Ludger groaned, rubbing his face as he pushed himself up to his knees before glaring at the one responsible for waking them all up. "...Okay, two things. First of all, where in the hell did you get that megaphone? Second of all," he scowled in annoyance. "WHY did you wake us up, Cielo?"

"Well~...To answer those questions in order: I brought it with me in case I want to shout out news to the world. And second, it's the first official day for us being students at Beacon, silly!" The blue haired girl chirped as she patted Ludger's head while he was on the ground. "We gotta excited! Otherwise we would be soon to forget it!"

"Cielo..." the tanned boy sighed as he patted his back to ease the pain somewhat. "What time is it?"

"It is 6:00!" She cheered like it was the most exciting thing in the world.

Neo turned hear head to the alarm clock beside her. The red fluorescent digits read 6:00AM. She then turned her head to face the chipper teen, her sleepy eyes narrowed in a glare.

Ludger sighed, face-palming. "...can we go back to bed now?"

"I second the notion." Nico said quickly, already making moves to get back into bed, but was pulled away by Cielo. "Cielo, it is FAR too early for us to be up! We have at least two-to-three hours before class begins!"

"But Niiiiiiiiiico!" Cielo whined. "We should be celebrating our first day at Beacon!"

"How?!"

"Simple!" she grinned as she struck a pose. "By organizing the room!"

The other conscious teenagers looked at her in confusion. Organizing the room?

"...what?"

"Yeppers! I'm talking about unpacking and decorating! We're gonna be here for four years, so we gotta make the room simply scream Team LNCE!" She cheered.

Neo glared at the girl, giving her the middle finger, and promptly laid back down.

"Aw...C'mon Neo~" Cielo dropped Nico and went over to pull tricolored haired girl out of bed.

No sooner had she tried to do so did she find the pointed end of a parasol pointed at her neck.

Neo's hands were wrapped around the handle of a parasol. It was not her weapon, Trinity Grace, but a normal, pink parasol. She was so accustomed to have one around her that she has a normal one whenever she is unable to access her weapon. Her eyes were narrowed in a glare that said 'Take another step, and you're getting a ferrule through the throat.'

Sadly, Cielo didn't seem to be threatened by it. "If that's how you wanna play..." she grinned as she jumped into the air. A second later, she was enveloped by a blue haze, and vanished. The group immediately became bewildered, wondering where she had went, but then found her reappearing moments later... right above Neo.

"BONZAI~!"

The penguin-suit wearing girl crashed on top of the petite girl as her parasol flew out of her hands. The two scrambled on the bed, Neo looking downright murderous as she tried to get Cielo off her, but to no avail.

Ludger, witnessing the sight, found himself both exasperated, and impressed. "I can't tell if that girl is suicidal, or brave." he commented before looking at the still-snoring Eden. "...how in the world can he sleep with that music blaring?! I can hear it all the way from here!"

"He must have impressive eardrums." Nico said as he walked over, pulling out one of the earbuds from the blue-haired boy. "Eden, wake up."

"...five more minutes..." came the sleepy reply. Nico sighed.

"If we have to be up at this early, then so do you." he said sternly. When it became clear that Eden would not move, he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose before grabbing his covers, and pulling them off in one swift movement.

The blue haired teen came along with them, rolling around mid-air before unceremoniously crashing onto the floor.

"Gah! Dammit!"

The feared Blue Devil glared daggers at Nico. "The hell man?!" he shouted, displeased with his rude awakening. "I was just getting to the good part!"

"Must've been a good dream then." Nico shrugged. "Just what were you dreaming about, anyway?"

"If you wanna know I was-"

"On second thought, don't answer that."

"THEN WHY'D YOU ASK?!"

Ludger sighed. "Okay, guys, enough." he told them before he looked back at Neo and Cielo, only for his face to turn bright red. "C-CIELO!" he shouted. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

This caught the attention of the other two males in the room, who turned at the aforementioned sight. Nico blinked while Eden rubbed his eyes, as if unsure he was seeing what he was seeing before making a remark.

"...so, Cielo swings that way?"

"...I suppose so..."

Ludger, on the other hand, was completely speechless.

The two girls were currently placed in a rather erotic position, their legs tangled together with their nether regions practically touching each other. Neo, who had a scowl on her face, had one hand on Cielo's face, and the other at her shoulder, whereas the blue-haired girl had both her hands on the tri-colored girl's breasts.

"Wow Neo~ For a really cute and tiny girl, you sure are well-endowed~" Cielo giggled as she gave the girl's breasts a squeeze.

Neo's face turned bright red, her face showing nothing but mortification, before her eyes flared, switching colors.

"GET OFF!"

With a great amount of force one would not expect from such a petite body, Neo threw Cielo off her. The blue haired girl flew through the air and crashed on the bed on the opposite side of the room.

"Wahoo~!" the girl cheered as she leaped upward, arms raised with a grin. "That was awesome! Let's do that AGAIN!"

Neo growled, holding her parasol close to her with the ferrule pointed at her while Ludger, who watched the sight, face-palmed, dragging his hand down his face. "This..." he muttered. "…is going to be a looooooooong day."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Monsters! Predators! Creatures of the night! ...Grimm! But, I like to think of them as... the prey!"

A portly man dressed in a brown suit announced. He had a full head of graying hair atop his head with a thick, handlebar mustache that seemed to conceal his lips. He was Peter Port, the teacher of Grimm Studies at Beacon.

After a hectic morning of making beds, showering, Cielo trying to peek at Neo in the shower, Ludger and the others trying to stop Neo from downright mauling Cielo, getting dressed, unpacking and organizing their belongings, Team LNCE was dead tired by the time they entered Professor Port's classroom.

If you had to describe them right now... it would be in a word; BORING.

The professor isn't even talking about Grimm Studies. The closest thing that's Grimm related in his lectures are the Grimm that he had supposedly slain in his stories about his youth.

Eden was already starting to doze off, his head on his hand, as the lecture was close to putting him to sleep. Cielo was more focused on doing doodles, making weird noises as she did so. Neo pretended to look like she was paying attention, but in reality, she was fiddling with her Scroll out of boredom. Ludger tried to look interested, but he was also fading in and out. Nico was probably the only one actually paying attention, given his backstory.

If only the same could be said for the leaders of their companion teams...

Jaune was already snoozing, his head on his arms while Nora had somehow zipped over to Cielo and was also drawing doodles. Pyrrha was similar to Nico, though one could tell she was quickly becoming bored with the lecture as well. Ren was more focused on doing classwork from their previous class. Yang was fiddling with whatever her hands could find, while Blake immersed herself in a book. Ruby was solving her boredom by doing various things from drawing pictures to goofy acts such as balancing her pen on her nose.

Weiss, however... she looked ready to blow.

From the look of things... The source of her anger stems from Rubys immature actions.

Weiss had tried to pay attention to the (however idiotic and pointless) lecture, but seeing Ruby, the girl that had been made her team's LEADER, acting like such a child...! It was utterly humiliating! She just didn't understand how Ozpin could pick such an immature brat, who skipped two years ahead of them?! It was totally unfair!

She had the training. She had the skills. She should be team leader! Why was this child the leader?!

"...now, all of you here have the potential to be heroes!" Port's lecture continued as he turned to the class. "Now, which among you has the courage, the bravery, to demonstrate your skills?!"

Almost immediately, Weiss shot up her hand. "I DO SIR!" she bellowed. Sadly, this caused Eden's hid to slip off his hand, smacking his forehead against the wood.'

"Good!" Port boomed. "Mr. Flaemis, Ms. Schnee, thank you for volunteering!"

"Huh? Wait, volunteering? What? What did I miss?" The Blue haired teen whipped his head around in confusion.

"You just volunteered yourself to fight a Grimm." Nico stated bluntly.

"Wait, I did? When did that...ah, hell with it! I get to fight something!" He grinned in anticipation.

"Well then!" the teacher chuckled. "Step into the ring!"

Next to him were two large cages. Both of which were shaking around, signaling that their contents want to get out.

As per their teacher's instructions, a frustrated Weiss and ecstatic Eden changed into their combat gear and entered the ring.

"Whoo!" Ruby cheered. "Go Weiss! Eden!"

The heiress gave her team leader the stink eye while Eden grinned, giving her a thumbs up.

"Now then, Miss Schnee...please step forward. Mr. Flaemis, you shall go next." Port announced. Eden gave the heiress a light smirk before stepping back.

Weiss gave him a hmph, flipping her hair back before bringing out her rapier. Finally, this was her chance! She would be able to prove that she is better suited to be Team Leader.

"Alright then..." Professor Port stood before the smaller of the two thrashing cages and lifted a large axe. "Let the match begin!" He brought the blade down, breaking the lock that held the cage door in place. Crashing through the metal bars was a spinning mass of ivory. The object slowed down to reveal itself to be a Grimm in the shape of a boar, possessing multiple red eyes and many plates of bone white armor. Its tusks were long and curved upward.

Ludger raised an eyebrow. "...is that a warthog?" he questioned. "I knew Grimm come in all shapes and sizes but... isn't that kinda...?"

"It's a Boartusk." Nico responded, his eyes focused on the match. "They are a species of Grimm that do resemble warthogs. But don't take that as a sign to underestimate it. Boartusks attack by rolling their body at high speeds like you just saw. Their bodies are heavily armored, making their defenses quite strong. Coupled with their spinning attack, it would be as if you got hit and run over by a car."

Hearing this, Ludger became concerned. "Will she be okay?" he asked in worry. "I mean, it's not that I doubt her skills, but... She looks really ticked off about something."

"Snow Queen's probably upset she didn't get to be team leader." Cielo chirped as she held up her doodle to Nora. The orange-haired girl giggled, as it was a picture of Professor Port being hung upside down by a Beowolf. "She must be preeeeetty angry!"

Neo typed something on her scroll before holding it up to Ludger. The white haired teen read what it said.

"She's probably mad at the fact that Ruby's goofing off or something. Not exactly a good first impression of a team leader..."

Nico nodded in agreement. "Well, given her upbringing, she probably believes that she deserves to be team leader." he said. "Which means this is going to be quite the spectacle."

"I just hope that they resolve it soon. They're team mates. They need to learn how to get along."

Nico sighed. "Knowing a Schnee... the odds are slim."

They quieted down as Weiss entered into a combat stance, holding her weapon at the ready while glaring at the Grimm before her.

The Boartusk squealed as it scraped the floor with his hoof. It looked ready to charge.

Along the sidelines, Weiss' team mates were rooting for her.

"Go get 'Em Weiss!" Yang fist pumped.

"Fight well!" Blake held up a miniature flag that red RWBY.

"Yeah, represent...Teeeeeeeam RWBY!" Ruby cheered.

Weiss decided to ignore the little red reaper, and focused on the brawl. 'Hmph, doesn't look so tough,' she thought with a smirk. 'This will be easy!'

The Boartusk jumped into the air and started rolling, its form becoming an ivory wheel. The spinning Grimm moved to roll over the heiress, but Weiss side-stepped just in time.

Once the Boartusk struck the wall, she slipped into another stance, a glyph dancing beneath her. The hilt of her rapier began to spin, and with it, another glyph. She pulled her arm back and thrusted, creating a spear that went straight for it.

The Dust-made projectile broke when it struck the Boartusk's hide. "Hoho," Port chuckled. "Not so easy as you though, is it?"

The Grimm merely shook its head as its hoof scrapped the floor again.

"Hang in there, Weiss!" Ruby egged her on.

Weiss slipped into a fencing stance and formed another glyph at her feet. She used it to propel herself forward with the intent of stabbing the beast through the eye.

However, just like before, the beast's hide proved to be quite thick as it turned its body at the last second, the rapier hitting the bone-like armor.

Weiss then grew alarmed as the Grimm shifted its head and caught the blade of her weapon between its tusks. She tried to wiggle it free, but the Boartusk refused to let her do so. She was stuck.

It raised its head, throwing her over it. Her rapier was also flung away as her body hit the ground. "Now what will you do without your weapon?!"

"You can do it Weiss!" Ruby cheered.

The heiress scowled. "Shut up, Ruby!"

"S-sorry!" The red-hooded girl shrank in her seat. What did she do now?

Ludger sighed. "She's too worked up." he muttered. "Still, that thing is tough."

"Not really." Nico answered, earning confused looks from his two teammates. "A Boartusk doesn't have any enemy underneath it. If she were smart, she would have realized that and found a way to make it trip itself, and then strike it there." He frowned heavily. "She's too conceited to realize that fact... or simply stubborn. I can't tell which."

"I say it's the latter, given how stuck-up snow white is." Neo typed on her scroll.

"Aw...Snow Angel is just a sour-puss. I think all she needs is a big hug~" Cielo suggested.

Ludger sweat-dropped. "I think she just might stab you, given what you did to Neo."

Cielo pouted. "But I was just showing my affection is all!" she puffed her cheeks. "While on that subject, Neo, you so unfair!" The tri-colored girl raised an eyebrow. "How come you've got a bigger bust than I do?!" The girl's face burned red, as did Ludger's. Nico wisely decided to ignore the conversation and focus on the fight. "Mielo always tells me that I should eat my vegetables and drink my milk so I can grow bigger, but my chest isn't any bigger!" the girl complained with any style tears running down her face. "And yet you have a D-cup! NOT COOL SISTER!"

"...Uh, Cielo?"

"I mean, you are sooo tiny! You shouldn't even have big boobies like that!"

"...Cielo?" Ludger was nearly choking from the killing intent from the girl next to him.

"But I guess that adds to your appeal and being totally adorbs...but c'mon! That is not fair Neo! Tell me your secret! I want bigger breasts too!"

"C-Cielo...?!" By now, the silver-haired teen was scared out of his mind. "Y-You really should stop!"

Nico wisely decided to take refuge underneath his desk.

Even members of Team JNPR and RBY who had overheard their conversation slowly backed away from the inevitable chaos.

Even Eden on the ground floor took a few steps away.

"Oh I know!" Cielo pounded her fist into an open palm. "You must grope and rub your chest frequently while you think of Ludger, right?"

That was it. The last straw.

"DIE!"

The petite girl jumped out of her seat and grabbed Cielo in a headlock before slamming her into the ground. She then held up her ever present parasol and aimed to stab the blue haired girl in the head.

In a split second, Cielo brought out a pair of rulers and deflected the oncoming attack. Her cheerful nature was all but gone, replaced with irritation. "Why does this child always open mouth and insert foot?" she wondered aloud as she struggled to keep Neo from killing her. It took Ludger a second to realize that it was Mielo in control. "I swear..."

"...she went too far!" the tricolor haired girl snapped at her, trying even harder to kill the blue haired girl now. Ludger could see the deep blush on her cheeks.

The other students were torn between seeing Weiss fighting the boar (and apparently losing) and watching Neo trying to kill Cielo. Eden, for his part, sweat-dropped. "...well, that's one way to piss somebody off." he commented before looking at Weiss. "Oi! Ice Queen! You almost done yet?! I'd like to burn something!"

"Shut up! Stop distracting me!" Weiss snapped back. She had just moved over to her fallen weapon and picked it up. The Boartusk charged right at her again.

Eden sighed. "She's gonna get killed at this rate with her being so worked up." he commented before looking at the teacher. "Would it be alright if I stepped in if this goes South?"

"By all means." Port nodded. Normally, he would step in himself, but he was curious as to what the Blue Devil, Hughes son, was a capable of. He was also instructed by Ozpin to keep an eye on him like the rest of the staff, given who the boy is...and what he possesses.

Eden nodded in appreciation, and leaned back, continuing to watch Weiss.

Her form was starting to get sloppy. Her rage was clouding her judgment. What a disappointing display...

'She really is a spoiled brat...'

In this situation, Weiss would've changed tactics and used her glyphs to immobilize the Grimm before attacking it from multiple directions. But she was just so frustrated she chose to simply move behind it and hit it with an arte.

"Ice Revolver!"

Three glyphs stacked in front of her. With a piercing stab from her rapier, the glyphs shattered, and ice spears were launched forward. When they struck, the Boartusk staggered back a bit, the power behind them significant, but definitely not enough to throw it off balance.

That was why she continued to press her attack. She formed more glyphs and encircled them around the Grimm. They were positioned below its feet.

"Frozen Rupture!"

Spires of ice erupted from the floor.

The spire struck the beast at its tusks, throwing it upward. Sure enough, like Nico said, its belly was completely exposed without a shred of armor. "Weiss!" Ruby called out. "Go for the stomach! It doesn't have any armor!"

Weiss, again, snapped out at her leader. "Will you be quiet?!" she shouted before slipping into another stance. "Rapid Strike!"

She shot forward like a bullet under her own power. The Blade of Myrtenaster moving like a blur, skewering the Boartusk's exposed underbelly again and again.

With a flurry, the ice that held it in place shattered, and the boartusk was sent flying to the ground, tumbling about like a rag before it ceased. Its body soon began to dissolve.

"Jolly good! Well done, Ms. Schnee." Professor Port nodded in congratulations.

Weiss huffed, flipping back her hair as she walked away. As she did, however, Eden chuckled. "Not bad, Snow Queen." he said. "But it looked to me your were reaaaally frustrated."

The Schnee Heiress growled. "Don't say another word..." she warned, her hand reaching from her rapier.

Eden shrugged. "Alright... well never mind. I got one word to say." He grinned. "Duck."

Weiss frowned, obviously not understanding the meaning behind the word... until something blue slammed into her.

"Congrats Snow Angel~!" Cielo grinned broadly as she pinned Weiss to the ground in an overly affectionate hug.

The class blinked collectively as they looked at the girl, and then back to where Neo was, only to find the girl being comforted by Ludger and Nico. Her body was shaking, her arms held tightly over her chest area as her face was completely and utterly red, unable to form even a coherent word. "When the heck did she get over there?" Ruby asked. "Does she have a speed Semblance too?"

"No," Yang shook her head. "I'd chalk it up to caffeine."

Back to Weiss, the woman was now trying to pry the girl off of her. "Will you let go of me, you brat?!" she demanded to no avail. Cielo only seemed to hugger tighter. Her face soon turned bright. "H-hey! Where are you touching, you pervert?!"

"But I'm giving you a hug!" Cielo defended herself, completely unaware that one of her hands was touching Weiss' rear end. Eden could only sweat-drop. It was as if this girl had absolutely no common sense whatsoever. He sighed, scratching the back of his neck as turned to Professor Port, who looked very amused by the whole sight.

"So, is it my turn now?"

The large man nodded. "Of course, son!" he laughed. "As a matter of fact, I have just the thing for someone like you!"

Hearing this, Eden grinned widely. "Bring it on, old man."

"Ah, I love it when an aspiring Huntsman has the fire in him!" Port chuckled, not bothered by the old comment at all. He stepped over to the much larger cage. He hefted his axe and chopped the lock off the door.

Everyone grew tense, some even leaning in to see what Eden was facing. Jaune looked slightly worried about him, but upon remembering how he was when they fought off the Cerberus, he realized his fears were unfounded. Pyrrha was more curious to see how the famous Blue Devil would fare. Nora looked excited to see him "spontaneously combust into blue flames" again. Ren merely looked on with interest.

"Go Eden!" Ruby cheered, pumping her fist in the air. "Knock 'em dead!"

Blake simply waved a flag that read "Go Team LNCE!", all the while reading her book.

Yang winked at him. "Burn 'em to a crisp, bad boy~"

"Good luck Eden!" Ludger cheered as he comforted Neo from whatever Cielo did to her. "Knock 'em dead!"

Eden grinned, waving back to his leader before brandishing his weapon. Not long after, the Grimm stepped out. Immediately, everyone's eyes widened while Eden's grin grew. "...now we're talking~"

Each step the Grimm took seemed to shake the room. It was understandable given its hulking size. Its size was comparable to an Ursa Major. Its entire body was played in ivory armor. Its legs were thing like tree trunks, which was necessary to supports it's large body, which was encased in a shell. Its head was round and smooth. Its red eyes were narrowed in rage and gleamed in hunger. There were teeth as part of its mask in addition to its own sharp teeth. Basically, the form of his new Grimm was that of a giant tortoise...one that was carnivorous. It was the stronghold of the Grimm race. It's tank. It was...

"...a Juggernaut."

Ruby's jaw dropped, and with it, her enthusiasm. "Uh..." she said weakly. "That's uh... one, big..."

"Turtle?" Yang offered, although even she was uncertain. "Tortoise?"

"Will he be okay?" Jaune asked. "I mean, it... looks pretty tough."

"Tough is an understatement..." Pyrrha said. "Juggernauts are known for their iron-clad defenses. They are plated in armor with barely any gaps in between. They are also known to be like moving fortresses."

"In other words," Ren said simply. "Eden's gonna have one hell of a time breaking through its armor..." He paused. "Unless he cooks it from the inside.

"Well, based on the look in his eye...I think that's one possibility." Nora pointed out to them.

Her observation was right. The teen was grinning from ear to ear with a crazed look in his eye. The circuits on his sheath lit up, blue flames dancing around. "Alright, big guy!" he jeered. "Come on!"

The Grimm roared in defiance. Rather than stomping its way over to its prey, it extended it neck at great speeds, its jaws trying to snap him up.

Eden jumped back, evading the bite as he swung his sword. "Flame Break!" The arte created a crescent wave of flames that charged the oversized demonic turtle. It was quick to retract its head, and even its legs, seeking refuge inside its shell.

"Heh, so THAT's how you wanna play..." Eden grinned as he twirled his sheathed katana around. The aura blade manifested along the sheath as blue flames wrapped around his arms and legs. He crouched down and used the flames at his feet as a means of propulsion to leap forward.

"How about THIS?!"

As he rushed forward, blue flames covered us body, making him resemble some sort of fire ball from hell. He brought his sword back and swung it just when he was close enough to the Juggernaut.

"Flare Blitz!"

A mass of flames blanketed his sword and arms. He slammed the aura blade into the Grimm in an upward stroke. The force behind the hit was enough to throw the Juggernaut up. Sadly, even its underbelly was armored, unlike Weiss' opponent, but that was not what he had in mind. Rather, he brought his sword back, and swung. "Blaze Arc!"

Like before, a burning, crescent wave was launched. However, unlike the previous one, it was significantly larger. This strike sent the armored Grimm flying.

The other students couldn't believe their eyes. Eden just sent that heavy monstrosity into the air!

However, Ludger was more anxious than shocked. "I wonder if he can break through it's armor..." he muttered. "That shell looks like it won't be easy to break through."

"That is...unless he plans to show us what is so special about his sword." Nico responded.

"Special? What do you mean?" Ludger asked as he still comforted Neo, gently rubbing her back.

"Haven't you noticed that even during the fight against the Cerberus, he hasn't drawn his sword even once?"

That caused the silver-haired teen paused. Now that his teammate mentioned it... he hasn't seen what exactly his friend keeps hidden in that sheath.

It was either he didn't see the situation to be worth using it...or there was another reason for it.

What it was, none of them knew.

As the Grimm slammed back down into the ground, it reemerged from its hiding place, sticking it's head back out while Eden landed back on his face. "That it, you oversized turtle?" he mocked, tapping his sword against his shoulder. "Come on, you gotta give me at least a challenge here!"

The Juggernaut's face contorted, as if it was snarling in rage. It tucked its legs and head back into its shell. But unlike before, the shell started to rotate. In a matter of seconds, it was moving as fast as a buzz saw. To everyone's disbelief, the spinning shell started to hover above ground, and was flying after the Blue Devil.

"Eden, watch out!" Ruby shouted in concern. The blue-haired teen simply smirked as he spaced his feet apart, and held his sword as if it were a bat. The red reaper looked at him as if he had just grown a second head. What in the world was he doing?! Why wasn't he running?!

"BAAAAAAAAATTER UP!"

He infused more aura into his weapon, the thin blade around the sheath growing exponentially until it was even larger than a great sword. Based on estimation, the blade was now the size of an average person, yet he was able to wield it with ease. Just as the Juggernaut closed in, Eden swung.

The blade struck the Juggernaut's spinning form head on. True to Eden's words, the strike was like a man swinging a baseball bat, and the Juggernaut was the ball.

"HOME RUN!"

The spinning Grimm once again flew from his strike and crashed on the far end of the room, landing on its back, spinning like a top.

"Hahaha! Oh, man...this is a blast!" Eden laughed.

The others could barely believe what they were seeing. He was treating this fight as if it were all one big game to him.

His teammates, however, weren't at all surprised, given how they had seen him act during Initiation.

In addition, Yang was quite amused with his antics.

"*whistles* Keep it up, hotty~" she whooped with a teasing grin. "You just might make me strip!"

"Wha-YANG!" Ruby cried, her face as red her cloak.

Port gave a brief, awkward cough. "Miss Xiao Long, please refrain from obscene comments." he asked kindly before turning to Cielo. "And Miss Maverick, please remove yourself from Miss Schnee."

"Aww...do I have too?" The blue haired girl whined as Weiss still tried to pry her off.

"Yes." The teacher only nodded.

"Mou...fine." Reluctantly, she let go, much to Weiss' relief.

The girl took in a heavy gulp of air as she struggled to reach her desk. "Whoa, you okay, Weiss?" Ruby asked in concern. "You looked like you had a run in with a noose."

'That girl may as well be one...' Weiss thought. While Cielo may have looked small, her grip was something else. 'Just what kind of training regimen does she go through?!'

Back to the battle, the Juggernaut was trying to get back upright while Eden flipped his sword into a reverse grip. "Alright, let's turn up the heat..."

Ludger's eyes widened. "Wait, is that what I...?"

Eden grabbed the scabbard of his sword with his free hand, his other wrapped tightly around the hilt.

"Is he really...?" Nico questioned.

His grin grew, but for a moment, his eyes turned dark purple. The flames began to wrap around the hilt, seemingly flowing inside the sheath. The wind around him began to hiss and cackle, almost as if the intensity of the heat was too much. It was a testament to the moniker he possessed, and the power he wielded. However, Ludger and Neo, who was starting to recover, recognized what Eden was about to do.

"That Arte..." he breathed in amazement. "He's using it... without an Allium Orb?"

Eden slammed his foot back, and his thumb brushed against the sheath's edge. "It's your turn to shine…Muramasa…" He referred to his sheathed blade. "Burn out..."

A click resounded into the air.

"DEVIL'S WALTZ!"

In one swift motion, Eden pulled out the katana from its sheath. Along with the blade, multiple streams of flame flew through the air, each one blazing dark shade of cobalt. The burning streams seemed to dance around him before quickly moving upwards. The pillars of fire grew tall and arched over, each one slamming into the struggling Juggernaut's protected underbelly.

As soon as the final pillar struck the Juggernaut, the others refocused their attention on the unsheathed sword in Eden's hand, Muramasa.

"...what in the hell?!" Yang cried in utter disbelief, her eyes bulging from her skull.

Ruby, on the other hand, was close to passing out. "OMIGOSHOMIGOSHOMIGOOOOOOOOOOSH!" she squealed, going into her chibi form. "THAT SWORD IS SOOOOOOOOOOOO COOOOOOOOOOL!"

Ruby had every right to be in awe of Eden's weapon. The blade was a sleek, single edged katana. The metal itself looked to be burning sapphire. The edge was so sharp that it looked like it could cut through anything and everything. Based on its quality, the sword seemed to have been crafted by a master sword smith. Azure flames danced along the blade's length. Occasionally, a blue spark seemed to crackle along the metal. It even seemed to be oscillating to the trained eye. But none of those things were what caught their attention about it.

What caught their attention were the markings on the blade itself.

Along the flat sides of the blade, seemed to be a series of runes or symbols engraved in a black hue. Upon closer inspection, they didn't seem to be carved into the metal, as doing so might've damaged its structural integrity, but the symbols seemed to have been part of the metal itself.

Unlike the rest of the sword, the markings seemed to emit a deep, black aura...almost...malevolent.

Port seemed to recognize the symbol, and his already closed eyes narrowed further.

The Grimm let out a weak death cry as the pillar of flames began to burn it from the inside out, the shell now being used against it. Eden slipped Muramasa back into it's sheath, Masamune, smirking. "BBQ turtle anyone?" he joked as he put his hands behind his head as the Juggernaut began to burn in blue flames.

Ludger, however, was astounded. "I can't believe it..."

Nico looked at his team leader in confusion. "What is it, Ludger?"

"That last attack Eden used... It... It was an Arcane Arte." the silver-haired teen answered, causing Nico's eyes to widen and stare at his blue-haired teammate in utter shock. "But... Arcane Artes can only be used in Overlimit, and in order for that to happen, you have to be linked." Ludger folded his arms over his chest. "But Eden used an Arcane Arte without meeting either criteria, something that is supposedly impossible. That's... amazing."

The others looked at him in equal expressions of shock and awe. Eden...was capable of something like that?! But how? It should've been impossible...

Their musings were cut short as the cries from the burning Grimm suddenly grew stronger.

Eden raised an eyebrow as he saw the Juggernaut manage to flip itself back upright, in spite of the fact that it was still burning. "Damn," he remarked. "You're just as stubborn as that mangy mutt from Initiation." He put his hand to his Muramasa. "Alright, if you insist."

Unfortunately, before he could make a move, Port beat him to it.

"Iron Break!"

The professor's axe came down and struck the Grimm's hard shell. It simply gave way and broke apart under the impact.

In a single strike, the shell broke apart, and the Grimm's body was splintered apart. The ground also developed a small crater beneath it, likely made from the force of the impact. The class was left astounded, especially those who had been listening to his lecture half-heartedly.

"...whoa" was all they had to say. Eden, however, looked slightly disappointed. He was hoping to fight some more, but oh well. He supposed there were other opportunities in the near future.

Port grunted as he hefted his axe unto his shoulder. "As interesting as this class has been," he said as he looked back to his students. "I'm afraid this period is over."

Collectively, the class groaned. While the beginning of the class HAD been tedious, things were finally starting to be getting somewhere...and they had to end it?!

"Yes, I am sorry we are unable to continue. But fret not. I still have many enthralling tales to share in future classes." Port gave them an assuring smile. Although from the perspective of the more observant, like Nico, Neo, Pyrrha, and Eden, it seemed to be slightly forced.

XXXXXXXXXX

"...so, this is Ludger, eh?" Ozpin repressed a sigh as the man on the Scroll observed the photograph and information presented to him. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say he looks more like Claudia. That make him a mama's boy?"

"I didn't send you Ludger's information just to hear your opinion, Qrow." the headmaster said tiredly. "I sent you this information for a reason." His eyes narrowed. "Have there been any signs of Fractured Dimensions appearing within Vale, recently?"

"So far, none. Although, like always, that is subject to change as time goes on." The Signal teacher responded.

"I see...Has there been any word from Julius?"

Qrow sighed. "Keeping in touch with him while he's been watched by Bakur is hard to do, but manageable. He's been getting rid of the more major ones close to Beacon. Seriously, Oz, I know you don't want Ludger to awaken to his power so soon, but like it or not, he IS going to awaken to the Chromatus. It's a question of sooner, or later."

Ozpin sighed heavily. "Believe me, I know..." he said somberly. "And preferably, I hope it is later, rather than sooner."

"While I agree with you...it doesn't really seem to be likely..." Qrow shook his head. "Especially with how things are currently...he may just be swept up by it all soon."

"...unto other matters, what about the Spirius Corporation?"

"As of now, they are still sending their agents out to fractured dimensions. However, I also heard that Bakur has found the dimensions for some of the Waymarkers. But he hasn't sent in anyone to retrieve them."

Ozpin raised an eyebrow at this. "...he hasn't?"

"No. My guess is, he's probably waiting for the right opportunity. What that might be is anybody's guess."

Ozpin took a moment to think. Bakur has located the Waymarkers...yet he's making no move to claim them? Was he really waiting for the most opportune moment...or was it because he was unable to retrieve them?

A thought crossed his mind. Was it possible... that he was waiting for Ludger to awaken to his power? It was reasonable; given that, by accomplishing such a thing would allow him to obtain the Waymarkers much faster. However, that thought brought forth a raging anger within him. He warned Bakur of the implications of what would happen if he laid so much as a finger on Ludger.

"...have you made any progress locating 'Queen?'" he quickly changed the subject, lest his anger got the best of him.

"Not yet." Qrow shook his head. "I keep looking for any information about them, but it's like they've vanished right before I reach them."

"I see..."

It was regrettable, but he was aware that such a thing was, in honesty, to be expected. They had been searching for Queen ever since Autumn had been stripped of half of her powers, so the question remained as to where they were now. They had so little information, other than that the host of Death was seen with them.

THAT worried him.

Death. The Most Powerful of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, host to the Great Spirit of Destruction: Abaddon.

In order to be accepted by the Great Spirit and inherit the title of Death, one must possess possess an unfathomable amount hatred and malice toward the world.

And to think, that host... would be a child of the same age as the youngest student in Beacon. It was truly a horrifying, regrettable thing to learn, as well as a fearsome thing to know indeed. For a mere child to possess such hatred... quite honestly, Ozpin pitied the poor lad.

Of course, there was one other individual that worried him, one that was just as much of a threat as Queen herself. "And what of Conquest?"

Qrow let out a scoff. "Well, he hasn't exactly been discreet." he said. "Bastard's made it perfectly clear where he's been, but no one knows where the hell he goes back to. Then again, this IS the bastard who-"

"I know, Qrow." his friend cut him off before unpleasant memories surfaced. "We'll deal with him, in time."

"Alright..." Qrow relented. No use in bringing up the past. Just as he was about to ask something else, Peter Port walked into the room.

"Ozpin, I-" the old man began before noticing Qrow's appearance. "Oh. Pardon, was I interrupting something?"

"Well, I was about to ask Oz something, but given the look of urgency on your face, I can wait." Qrow backed off to let Peter speak.

"Now, what was it you wanted to talk about, Peter?" Ozpin asked.

"It's about Hughes' boy, Eden." Port informed him, his face slightly grave. "He used Pluto's power... in CLASS."

"What?!" Ozpin just about leaped up from his chair as his palms slammed onto the desktop.

Qrow on the other hand nearly dropped his scroll in shock.

"What did you say?!" The door leading to the room was kicked down, courtesy of one concerned Maes Hughes.

Qrow, who heard the man enter, jumped. "Sweet Mother of-! Where the bloody hell did you come from?!"

"I heard something happened to Eden!" Maes shouted. "What happened?!"

Port cleared his throat. "As I said, he used Pluto's power in front of the students." he reported, much to their dread. "Thankfully, none of them seemed to recognize what just happened. Although, I doubt they already haven't begun spreading word that someone is capable of using an Arcane Arte without an Allium Orb, much less being in Overlimit."

Maes scowled, running a hand through his hair. "God dammit..."

"This..." Qrow frowned. "Is bad, isn't it?"

Ozpin sighed. "...not very, but it may as well be, Qrow." he said as he regained control over himself. "We should be thankful it was just that, and nothing else." He turned his attention back to Port. "Any signs of change?"

"None. It seems like he has some control, but how much is the question here."

"I agree..." Ozpin folded his hands. He wondered...was Eden really unaware of what was happening to him? Hasn't he questioned his use of Arcane Artes without fulfilling the requirements? Hughes said that he was unaware of him housing Pluto...so what did he assume?

Either way, this was still a bad sign. If one uses great power carelessly, they are sure to regret it. He, of all people, knew that better that most.

"Ah, and on the subject of students..." Port said. "You may want to talk to Miss Rose." Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "It would seem a certain heiress is...less than pleased about that girl being named team leader."

"Is that so?" Honestly, Ozpin had a feeling something like this would happen. It was to be expected. For a person so young, not many people expect them to be a capable leader, despite having the potential. First impressions to situations like this were everything.

He knew this better than most, as well.

XXXXXXXXXX

"T-that insufferable, mangy little..." Weiss growled as she stomped off, wanting to get away as far as possible from Ruby. "It's bad enough that I have to deal with a brat who's two years early, but I have to deal with some damned flaming moron!"

After having lashed out at Ruby in earnest, the snow-haired girl had run off, wanting to be anywhere but where the girl was. She just didn't understand why in the world Ozpin, someone so highly respected, had chosen some KID to lead a team of future Huntresses?! It just wasn't fair! She was given the best training possible, and she was much more mature than she was... so why?!

Why was Ruby chosen, and not her?!

The question ailed her like a plague.

Ruby was immature and hasn't realized her full capability, unlike her.

So why? Why did Ozpin make such a fatal error?!

"...hello, Weiss." The girl jumped, whirling around to find Nico standing there. "Penny for your thoughts."

"O-oh, it's you..." the girl sighed. "Don't-don't do that..."

She nearly had a heart attack. She didn't even detect his presence at all.

"Sorry, it's kind of a bad habit of mine...But seriously, it looks like something is bothering you. May I ask what it is?" Nico asked, despite knowing the answer.

Weiss sighed as she palmed her forehead. "...can I ask you something?"

he nodded.

"Coming from a distinguished line of Huntsmen... don't you feel like you should be the team leader, and not Ludger?"

"No." he answered simply, much to her surprise. "I don't have a desire to become team leader. Besides, simply having the skills and training doesn't necessarily make you someone who is worth leading a team. Besides, I don't exactly mind Ludger being the leader. It not only gives him experience, but also look at things from another perspective."

Weiss frowned. "Another... perspective?"

Nico nodded. "Your angry that Ruby, who is two years younger, and has less experience than you, was made as the leader of RWBY, right?" The girl was surprised, but nodded. "Ozpin chose her because of that. Not only does being a leader help her grow as a person, but it also helps her grow into the role she's been given."

Weiss frowned. "It still doesn't make it right."

"Just because you've been given everything you've ever wanted in life, Weiss, doesn't mean everything will go the way you want it to here."

"How dare you?!" She snapped. "That is not even...remotely...true..." Her voice trailed off as she came to that realization.

"My thoughts exactly." Nico closed his eyes. "It is because you are a Schnee, you were given everything you wanted without many qualms. You may have lived a sheltered life as an heiress, but that doesn't mean it will be the same in the real world. Reality is not so kind or fair. It never has been. It never will be."

"B-but-"

"Weiss." Nico cut her off. "Life isn't fair, and it never will be. The Grimm will not care about the fact that you are a Schnee. To them, you are simply something that should be ripped apart and killed."

"B-but-!"

"And another thing." He interrupted her again. "Just because you were given training and possess more experience, that you would make a better leader? All I see is a brat who fails to realize the true burden of being a team leader."

Weiss opened her mouth to retort, to rebuke him, but Nico cut her off.

"You may think of me not knowing anything, of what you went through or otherwise, and I agree. I don't. But neither do you. Ruby is a girl who got into Beacon two years ahead of most people. She is insecure, lost, confused. She needs family, friends, and comrades to help guide her to walk the right path. And here you are, claiming she had no right to be team leader, further breaking her confidence in herself."

Weiss looked away. He didn't.

"That, Weiss, is why Ozpin made her team leader." he told her. "To give her comrades she can trust, to give her the experience she needs." He crossed his arms. "And all you've done so far is antagonize her for being a poor choice, and do you know where that led? You being sloppy in combat." This earned an offended look from the heiress, looking read to retort, but the look on his face ceased all arguments the moment she gazed into his eyes. "You could have easily knocked the Boartusk off balance and struck it there. Instead, you let your ego, your PRIDE-" he stressed the last one. "-take over, all because you are angry over the fact that she didn't get what she wanted."

"...okay, when you put it like that, you make it sound like I'm the bad guy here."

He narrowed his eyes. "...are you?"

She didn't answer.

"...Don't look away from me." Nico stated. "Give me a straight answer. Weiss, do you find your actions these past few hours to be justified in ANY way?"

The snow-haired girl grumbled something underneath her breath.

"I can't hear you." Nico frowned in disapproval.

Weiss gritted her teeth before she raised her voice. "...not...justified..."

"Louder."

"I...was't justified..."

Nico nodded in approval. "There, that wasn't so hard, was it?"

"Your a sadist."

"Be glad it's me talking to you, and not Eden. He had a much more... vulgar and provocative way of talking sense into you."

"Don't remind me..." Weiss sighed. "What was his problem anyway? And how was he able to use an Arcane Arte like that?"

Nico shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know." he said simply. "Hardly any of us know anything about him, other than that his father is one of the instructors here, and is a well-known mercenary. Still, it's impressive, being able to use an Arcane Arte without the use of an Allium Orb."

"Well to me, he looked like the Devil in a battle craze..." Weiss shivered slightly. "But then again...I guess that better explains his title..."

XXXXXXXXXX

Ruby sighed as she stood in the hallway listlessly, staring down at her feet. 'What did I do wrong...?'

The red hooded girl felt bad. After watching Eden in action and Professor Port killing the Juggernaut, she tried to chase after Weiss after she just stormed off.

And when she did catch up to the heiress, she received a hardcore tongue-lashing. It was plain as day to her by now that Weiss was DEFINITELY not happy with these arrangements of her being the team leader.

The heiress pulled no punches in voicing her opinion.

She openly voiced that Ozpin made a mistake in making her leader. Was she right? Was she really not cut out to be team leader?

In truth, Ruby wasn't entirely sure just WHAT she should do. She had believed that either Weiss, Blake, or even her sister would be the one chosen to lead a team. In all honesty, she thought she wasn't really cut out for it, given all the responsibility this would represent. Just how was she supposed to be a leader? She was ahead of everyone at Signal by two years! There was no way she was ready! "Maybe she's right..." she muttered dejectedly, kicking her feet at nothing. "Maybe I'm not cut out to be a leader."

"You wouldn't be the first, Miss Rose."

The girl turned to see the person responsible for her even being at Beacon standing behind her, hold his cane and mug. "O-oh, Professor Ozpin."

The headmaster nodded, taking a sip of his mug. "Let me guess..." he said dryly. "Teammate troubles?"

"Y-yeah..." Ruby nodded sadly. "Professor, d-did you... make a mistake, making me leader?"

"Well, that remains to be seen. It's only been a day miss Rose."

"Y-yeah, but..." Ruby sighed. "What if Weiss is right? What if I'm not cut out for this?"

Ozpin's face became somber. "Ruby," he said, looking right back at the small girl in front of him. "I've made more mistakes than any man, woman, and child on this planet. But at this moment I would not consider your appointment to leader to be one of them. Do you?"

"W-well...no but..."

"Being a team leader isn't just a title you wear into battle, Miss Rose." Ozpin told her. "It's also a badge."

"A badge?"

"Indeed. A badge you must wear constantly. It is because you are a leader that everyone expects so much of you."

Ruby's face fell slightly at this. "B-but what if I fail?"

"That is what your teammates are for," the headmaster replied with a wistful smile. "Should the leader ever start to fall apart, it is your teammates who will pick you back up. No one is ever truly alone, my dear. Besides, there is also one another thing a Huntsman should always, ALWAYS remember." Ruby tilted her head in curiosity. "The drive to always walk forward, regardless of what may happen."

"What does that mean?"

Ozpin smiled. "A long time ago, I once met a Huntsman. He was wise beyond his years, and to this day, I still think of him as the greatest of men to ever grace Remnant. When I asked him what it meant to be a Huntsman, do you know what his reply was?" Ruby shook her head. "All he said was... Keep moving forward."

"He said that?"

"Yes." Ozpin nodded. "He believed that the human spirit was indomitable. That the effort we put into our journey transcends ourselves. For there was no futility...even in death."

Ruby's eyes widened, and her mouth formed a perfect 'o'. "Wow... he sounds amazing."

"He was, indeed." the silver-haired man smiled, nodding back in agreement. "You aren't the only one to doubt your place as leader, Miss Rose. However, it is because they doubt their station that they can overcome the greatest of obstacles." He grinned back at her. "Your mother is one such example." The girl's eyes widened further. "When I named her the leader of her team, she had absolutely no idea what she was supposed to do. You're very much like her, you know. Hesitant when it comes to leadership, but you can grow into it, within time." He chuckled. "Of course, no one is alone, my dear. Always remember, that even if you are left alone, and are about to fall... You have both your teammates, and your friends, to set you back up."

"Okay...I'll remember that. Thank you Professor."

"It was my pleasure." He nodded. Although he inwardly frowned. If only he and his brother learned of that long ago...

XXXXXXXXXX

"So..." Eden said slowly as he looked at Neo, who was currently holding her parasol at hand, a heated glare aimed at Cielo with a furious blush on her cheeks, while said airhead was currently hopping around the room with a pair of headphones on. "What exactly did she do to the mute?"

"...she kept asking about her chest size." Nico responded.

Ludger chuckled nervously as he scratched his cheek. "Y-yeah, Neo's um... very sensitive about that."

"Really? She didn't really peg me as someone like that." Eden shrugged, twirling a random pen around.

"Well, let's just say that she's preeeeetty sensitive about her figure." the silver-haired teen chuckled sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. "Back in Signal, there was this one guy who made the mistake of calling her fat... and he's STILL in the hospital."

Ludger involuntarily shivered at the memory. Even now, he could still hear the sickening cracks of bones shattering and the squelch of organs rupturing.

Suffice to say, he knew better than to cross that line with Neo.

The tri-color haired girl just huffed and signed "He was asking for it. I am NOT fat!"

Eden chuckled. "But you like it when Ludger compliments you, right?" he grinned. Neo sent a glare his way, promising pain, but returned her attention to Cielo. "By the by, Cielo... what's the deal with your Semblance?"

The girl didn't respond. She was busy tuning out to music.

"Hey, Cielo!" Eden walked right up to her to grab her headphones. But just as he was about to touch her, she vanished in a blue haze.

The group blinked, looking around while Neo held her parasol tightly, looking around wildly. Thankfully, to her pleasure, the girl was right beside Ludger with a wide grin. "BANZAI!"

"WHOA!

The hoodie wearing girl jumped and tackled the leader of LNCE to the ground. The silver haired teen was disoriented as Cielo fell on top of him, straddling him.

"C-Cielo?!"

Neo's jaw dropped, seeing the rather intimate position, her emotions left in a crazy stir while the other males looked on, amused. Cielo merely grinned. "Ne ne, Ludger! Let's play a game! It's what teammates do, right?"

She hopped up and down on his torso, somewhat hurting him from the weight continuously pounding him.

"A g-game?" He choked out as Cielo landed on his ribs.

"Yeah yeah!" Cielo grinned. "You guys should join in too!"

"...I don't want any part of this." Nico backed away wisely.

"Me neither." Eden shook his head.

Cielo pouted. "Aw..." she said childishly. "Party-poopers!" She turned to Neo. "Neo, help me out here!"

The response she got was the ferrule of her parasol being pointed right between her eyes.

"Get. Off. Him." She ground out the words with malice. She pressed a button on the parasol shaft and a small blade extended through the tip, surprising the others, sans Ludger. She kept hidden weapons in that thing?

Cielo's pout increased. "Mou~ Why do you have to be so mean?" she whined. "Is it because I groped your boobs?"

The girl barely had time to react as Neo thrust the blade straight for the jugular. It was only due to Mielo's timely intervention that she was still alive.

"Dammit, woman!" Mielo snapped as she held the blade firmly between her palms. "Will you stop trying to kill this girl?! It is beginning to grate on my nerves!"

Eden sweat-dropped. "Aaaaaaaand it's another SPD moment." he remarked. "Seriously, is she bipolar or something?"

Ludger, who was still being straddled by Mielo, sighed.

"...what a day."  
 **  
-The First Day: END-**

Next Time: Jaune Arc


	8. Chapter 8

**Co-Written with Demons Anarchy of Pride. The creator of many fantastic masterpieces such as: Fire Emblem: Eternity Unto Reformation, Code Geass: Lelouch of the R-eset, The Crow: DxD, Highschool, DxD: Shatter Destiny, RWBY's Reaper, Code Geass 00, Fractured Reality, Code Geass: Suzaku of the Counterattack, Devil Survivor: Destiny Rewind, and some of his new projects, such as Lagrange 111: You Are (Not) Alone, Tokyo Ghoul: A Flowered Colored Darker Than Black, Persona 4: The Unseen Truth, Monarch, Kill the Deadly Sin, Code Geass: The Butterfly Effect, DxD: Final, DC Heroes: FORGOTTEN BLOODSTAINED LEGACY, DxD: Nocturne, Project, A Tale of Three Dragons, A Dragon Darker than Black, Code Geass: Kill the Rebellion, RWBY: Colorless Memories, RWBY: Black Rebellion, and more.**

 **I highly recommend you check them all out.**

 **I really appreciate your help, man. Couldn't have done this without ya!**

 **Thank you to all who continue to support this story.**

 **Also…..ALL FLAMES CAN JUST BURN IN HELL!... So don't even bother.**

 **The Reactive Type Fighter definition comes from the story,** ** _The White Mask_** **by The Baz. It is an awesome RWBY story and I recommend it to you RWBY fans if you haven't seen it already.**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Chapter 6: Jaune Arc  
**  
Jaune swung his sword, only for Cardin to easily side step away, leaving him wide open. The taller male swung his mace right into the Knight's ribcage, sending him flying across the arena.

Nico cringed at the display. Jaune was being beaten...badly. His aura levels were already in the yellow while Cardin's was still in the green with only a sliver lost.

"Damn...Jaune's getting his ass kicked." Eden remarked bluntly. He thought the Knight would put up a better fight, given how well he led his team during their fight with the Deathstalker.

Nico nodded in agreement. However, he was clearly frowning in disapproval, but it was not directed at Jaune. "...Cardin is taking this too far." Ludger said with slight anger. "He's far too aggressive. It's like he's purposely trying to bash Jaune into the ground."

"Yeah." Eden nodded. "I wouldn't put it past the bastard to ram blondie into the ground when his aura runs out."

"If it comes to that, Professor Goodwitch will step in." the golden-eyed boy said. "Although... you are right about that. I wouldn't put it past Winchester to do something like that. He's clearly had it in for Jaune since the first day of school."

"I would assume he would have it in for you given how you broke his arm before we even set foot on school grounds." Eden responded. "But the bastard still deserved it anyway. Good job by the way."

"Uh...thanks?" He was unsure how to respond to a compliment of him potentially crippling a person. But then again, this was the Blue Devil they were talking about.

Ludger spluttered. "W-wait, you broke Cardin's arm?!" he asked in shock, surprised that Nico of all people had done it. He expected something like that of Eden. "When did this happen?!"

"In the airship just before we reached Beacon." Eden stated nonchalantly. The others who overheard this conversation were disturbed by his casualness. "That was the bloodcurdling scream you all probably heard."

"Wh-Why did you do that?!" They knew Cardin was a jerk, but that seemed to be too far.

"I simply bumped into him and apologized. But he refused to let it go and kept harassing me. I gave him a chance to back away. He never did. So I retaliated. Simple as that."

"...on second thought, forget anything I said." Ludger sighed. "Seriously, that bastard needs to learn the meaning of humility."

Neo nodded as she signed, 'I approve, though you should have snapped his neck.'

"No no no! That's bad Neo!" Cielo said, eyes wide in panic as she flailed her arms in a comical manner. "You have to duct-tape his mouth shut and hog-tie him and strap him to a Bulkhead! That way you can't find the body!"

The others looked at the blue haired girl with blank eyes. Was she...was she really telling them how to hide a body after binding and gagging a person? Eden gave a thumbs up in approval, as it seemed effective.

"...I can't tell if that's Mielo talking, or just you." Ludger commented with a sweat drop.

Their attention returned to the stadium when the buzzer blew. "That is quite enough, Mister Winchester." Glynda said, eyes narrowed into a harsh glare. The armored man scoffed as he hoisted his mace over his shoulder, and walked away. The teacher sighed, shaking her head, clearly also in disapproval before turning to Jaune. "Mister Arc, you've been in class for three weeks now. Please, refer to your Scroll." The blonde sighed, nodding in shame as he stared at the screen. His Aura was in the red, while Cardin's was still in the green with barely any drop. 'Dammit...' he cursed at himself. 'I didn't even get a solid hit on that smug face of his.' As he stood up, limping back to his team, the teacher cleared her throat and turned her attention back to the class. "I believe we have enough time for one more match. Do we have any volunteers?"

Neo raised her hand. Ren raised his shortly afterward.

"Very well. Miss Neapolitan. Mr. Ren. Please step into the arena." Professor Goodwitch fiddled with her tablet, causing the faces of Cardin and Jaune on the arena screen to disappear and be replaced by images of Neo and Ren. The two students in question walked down the stairs into the arena.

"So it's the gunslinger versus the mute, eh?" Eden said with interest, leaning forward. "This ought to be interesting." He looked at Ludger, who appeared to be a bit surprised that Neo asked to volunteer. "Say, Ludger... What's Neo's style? I know she keeps a sword hidden in her umbrella, but how does she fight?"

"She is more of a Reactive type fighter." He answered.

"Reactive type?" Jaune questioned in confusion as he rubbed his aching shoulders.

"Reactive type fighters are fighters that prefer to stand back and use their enemy's moves against them, adapting to the enemy fighting style." Nico answered, well versed with this type of terminology.

"Yeah. But she also has a habit of playing with her opponents when she has an opportunity." The white haired teen added.

Cielo cocked her head. "So... she's a troll?"

Ludger sweat-dropped. "...yes, she is."

The two combatants entered the arena, both armed with their weapons. "Remember," Glynda called out. "The match will end with either one conceding defeat, or until one's aura has reached the red zone." She then turned to Ren and Neo. "Are you ready?" They nodded, slipping into their respective stances. She brought up her hand.

"..BEGIN!"

As soon she swung her hand down, Ren took the initiative. "Rapid Burst!"

The martial artist aimed his guns, Storm Flower, at his foe and pulled the trigger, a flurry of bullets shot out of the barrel, all heading toward Neo.

The girl smirked and didn't move. As soon as the bullets were close enough, she opened up her parasol and shielded herself from them.

Eden's eyes widened. "Whoa, wait a minute!" he gawked. "What?! The fuck kind of parasol is that?!"

Ludger laughed at his friend's reaction. "That's not just a parasol, Eden." he told him with a grin. "That's apart of her weapon."

"What?" He questioned.

"Neos weapon comes in different forms. A normal parasol, a sword, and a shield all in one. Which is why she dubbed it: Trinity Grace."

Ren showed little reaction to Neo's bizarre weapon, as she merely smirked. The black-haired teen instead chose a different approach; a direct frontal assault. "Thunder Break!" Lightning danced at the tip of Storm Flower's muzzle before it launched forward. It clashed with Neo's parasol, but in that time frame, Ren charged in. As soon as he was in close, he once again his weapon, only now it was a point-blank.

"Burst Blast!"

Energy gathered and compressed at the end of Storm Flower's barrels. In the next instant, they released all at once and impacted the target. However, what was supposed to have sent Neo flying, only shattered the image of her. Shards of glass fell where the girl once stood, bewildering Ren. What just happened? Where did she go?

In the next second, he soon found his answer, when he found himself thrown to the ground, struck by a crescent blue wave. Neo stood on the other side of the stadium, blade brandished. "Ah, the ever-useful Azure Edge." Eden chuckled. "Classic."

"Yep." Ludger nodded in agreement. "It was the first arte Neo and I learned from Julius."

"Forget that!" Nora shouted out. "What was that?! How did she get over there?! Didn't Ren get her? But why did she shatter? What's going on?!"

"Like I said, Neo can make an attack turn around in her favor." he said with a grin. "Although, her Semblance is also useful too."

Ren groaned as he rubbed his back. 'I didn't even see her move.' he thought. 'How did she make that? An arte? or a Semblance?' He narrowed his eyes, and straightened himself out while Neo yawned softly, a hand over her mouth. She looked rather bored. Were he Cardin, he probably would have felt insulted. Thankfully, he wasn't. He wanted to see how he could do against the other students. "...okay then."

Attacking from a distance didn't work. Neither did taking the direct approach. He needed to switch tactics.

"How about this then?" he brought up his guns, aiming them upward. "Squall Shot!"

A single shot fired from his guns. When it reached terminal velocity, the glowing bullets multiplied and cascaded down on Neo like rain. Bemused by this, Neo opened up her parasol and shielded herself like shielding from rain with an umbrella.

"Rapid Burst!" Her eyes widened in surprise when Ren opened fire with another arte. With her parasol still up, she moved away from the blast, but Ren was moved in quickly. She cursed, and quickly brought up her blade to defend against the attack.

Then she found out why Lie Ren was considered to be a martial artist.

He ducked beneath the swinging blade and slid across the floor. When he was close enough, he spun his body around so that he was on his hands and twisted his body, allowing his legs to fly and strike Neo with a hook kick.

The girl ducked underneath the strike, performing a backflip while creating a swinging motion with her legs, which knocked up against his chin, causing him to stagger. He quickly recovered, and aimed his guns at her while Neo brandished her blade, a blue aura dancing around the sword.

"Burst Blast!"

Neo swung, and streaking out from the blade was Azure Edge.

The two artes collided, resulting in an explosion that engulfed the arena. The other students couldn't see what was going on due to the smoke filling the air.

They did hear the sounds of combat within, as well as the flashes bursting forth inside the cloud. Ludger glanced up at the board that displayed Neo and Ren's aura.

Ren's Aura had just dropped into the yellow while Neo's Aura level was still in the green.

Nora's face dropped. "THAT'S CHEATING!" she growled. "Ren's awesome! He makes the best pancakes! He's perfect! No way he's gonna lose to a girl with a parasol!"

"Correction," Eden held up his hand. "A girl with a parasol and a sword."

"Correction." This time it was Ludger. "A girl with a parasol and a sword, with the former doubling as a shield."

The cloud parted, and Neo and Ren backed away. The girl was grinning, clearly enjoying herself, while Ren was panting, sweat pouring down his brow.

He took a glance at his aura meter, scowling at the fact that it was already half empty. The girl's, however, was still over 3/4 full. Neo twirled her parasol around in elation.

"...your good." he praised her. The girl shrugged, and leaned on her parasol. "Guess I'll have to take things seriously."

Ren crouched down and crossed his arms. The allium orb in his pocket glowed violently. The students sans Jaune recognized this. Nora grinned like a mad woman.

The martial artist was going into Overlimit.

Eden, however, was confused. "Wait, hold on. I thought you could only go into Overlimit while linked."

Nico snorted. "So says the man who used an Arcane Arte without being Linked." he commented before explaining. "It is possible to enter Overlimit without Linking, but it doesn't last as long. That, and performing Mystic Artes is much more harder without someone helping gathering mana."

"True," Ludger nodded. "But I wonder how this is gonna go. Neo doesn't have much experience with Overlimit, so this should be a learning experience."

The girl in question gave a bemused grin as a glowing aura enveloped her opponent. Learning experience indeed.

'This will be good.'

XXXXXXXXXX

So, there we were... In the middle of the night-"

"It was day."

"We were surrounded by Ursa-"

"They were Beowolves."

"Dozens of them!"

"...Two of them."

"But they were not match! And in the end, Ren and I took them down and made a boat load of lien selling Ursa skin rugs!"

Ren sighed when Nora finished speaking, "She's been having this reoccurring dream for nearly a month now."

Teams RWBY, JNPR, and LNCE were currently residing in the lunchroom, having finished Combat Class not too long ago.

Neo was currently humming to herself, eating some cake she had swiped from another team's cafe plate. Ren showed little reaction to having lost, but he was at least glad he was able to go down with Neo's Aura in the yellow, if only barely. It had been a breath-taking match, as well as a good learning experience for Neo, as she and Ludger had never engaged someone in Overlimit before. Not even Julius entered it during their training, as, without a doubt, as Ludger so kindly put it, "he would have mopped the floor with them in seconds."

Right now, they were currently listening to Nora's tale, though Ren quickly said it was a dream she had been having for a month now. Quite honestly, it was a rather interesting dream to have... then again, this was Nora Valkyrie of all people. Speaking of the members of Team JNPR, the red-haired veteran noticed the glum look on her leader's face as he toyed around with the food on his place absent-mindedly. "Jaune, are you alright?" she asked him. "You've been really out of it lately."

"Huh? O-Oh...yeah, I'm fine, really." He waved it off.

"Like hell you are." Eden stated bluntly. "You've been a downer since combat class."

Pyrrha's eyes narrowed in concern. "It's Cardin, isn't it?"

"Wh-what makes you say that?" Jaune tried to act nonchalant...failing epically.

"Jaune...Cardin's been picking on you since the first week of school." The red head pointed out in concern. The others nodded in agreement.

He looked over his shoulder at the guy in question then at Pyrrha. "Who? Cardin Winchester? Nah, he just likes to mess around. You know, practical jokes..." He said nervously, waving them off.

"Jaune," Ruby said bluntly. "He's a bully. He's had it out for you since day 1!"

"Oh, please!" Jaune tried to wave it off. "Name one time he's bullied me!"

The answers came almost immediately.

"He threw your notebooks out of your hands."

"He activated your shield in the doorway."

"He tossed you into the rocket-propelled lockers and then shot you off."

"I...I didn't land THAT far off from the school..." The Knight tried to brush off the incidents listed.

"You got stuck in a tree in Emerald Forest had a bunch of Beowolves trying to climbs said tree. You were lucky my dad managed to find you and saved your ass." Eden stated bluntly.

Jaune lowered his head, his face red. "C-can we...not talk about that, please?"

"I will say it as many times as I have to." The Blue Devil shook his head. "Jaune. Seriously. Why do you keep putting up with that bastard?"

"It-it's just that I..."

"Owwie! That hurts!"

"Hahahah! What a freak! I told you they were real!"

Everyone seated at the table looked over at Cardin's direction...and scowled at what they were witnessing. The leader of Team CRDL was pulling on the ear of a rabbit faunus girl. Cardin and his team mates were even laughing at the poor girl's expense.

Eden watched the scene with a grim expression. In the next moment, his face contorted into something demonic, his grip on the table tightening enough to form cracks along the surface. For a brief moment, his eyes glowed violet.

"Talk about scum..." Blake growled vehemently.

Yang nodded in agreement, a sad frown on her face. "Must be rough, being a Faunus."

"I say we break his legs!" Nora shouted, clearly also angry... that, and she really didn't like the idea of Cardin bullying Jaune. He was a great guy, and her team leader, and Ren's friends, so naturally she was gonna be worried about this kind of stuff.

Ludger scowled. "Bastard." he said in disdain. Neo nodded in agreement, giving the man a stink eye before they noticed Eden standing up. "Eden?"

"...excuse me for a moment." he said, his tone oddly calm as he moved away from his seat, and walked over to Team CRDL. Everyone instantly knew what was going to happen, and they weren't sure who to worry about; Eden, or Cardin. In Team LNCE's opinion, they were worried about Eden, but not in the way one might think. They were worried he might actually kill the poor bastard. The fact became increasingly evident when Nico caught notice of blue flames burning inside his hands. "Hey, Cardin." the blue-haired teen called out.

The armored brute turned around

WHAM!

A sharp right hook struck across the bully's face. Before he could recover, Eden's free hand, his palm glowing with azure fire, grabbed Cardin by the face. His actions made him release his hold on the girl's ear. Eden raised the bully's head and slammed it on the edge of the cafeteria table. A nauseating crack filled the air. But the Blue Devil refused to let it stop there. He pulled Cardin's head back, and then slammed it on the table again. Pull back. Slam down. Pull back. Slam down. The process repeated itself. Right now, the only reason why the large male was still alive was due to his aura. But that failed to stop him from feeling sharp pain from each impact.

His teammates were too shocked by the sudden strike to even try and stop the Blue Devil from bashing their leader's face in. Everyone in the cafeteria was utterly shocked and horrified by what they were seeing. Eventually, Eden got tired of simply thrashing him into the table, and threw him across the cafeteria.

For future references, the cafeteria was close to the size of a football field. Eden's current position was near the middle point, but Cardin's body was thrown all the way across, slamming into the wall, and creating an indenture and a small crater. He hung there, limply, for several seconds before plopping back down. RDL stared at the image in horror before their heads craned to look at Eden, who stood between them and the rabbit-eared Faunus. His eyes looked murderous, and his hands were lit ablaze.

"...anyone else?!"

The response of RDL? Nothing. They said nothing and scampered away. They were like little animals fleeing from the presence of a ferocious beast. It was as to be expected. When they looked into Eden's eyes...they didn't see the eyes of a fellow student...they saw the eyes of a Devil.

Eden scoffed, dismissing the flames. "Fucking brats." he cursed venomously. "It's cause of shits like that that the Faunus get so much damned hate."

"U-um..." the teen turned to the girl, who looked to be torn between being frightened or relieved that someone put a stop to the torture. "A-ah, um...!"

Suddenly, all the anger and rage Eden displayed disappeared as he grinned, patting the girl on the head. "You okay now?"

Everyone in the cafeteria, including his own friends, was taken aback by the sudden shift in demeanor.

"Y-yes..." The girl nodded, speaking in a soft voice. "Th-thank...you...?" She wasn't sure what else to say, given what had happened.

"Eh, don't worry about it." he told her. "Name's Eden. You?"

"O-oh, I'm uh...!"

"Her name's Velvet, my teammate." Eden and the bunny-eared Faunus blinked, looking up at the speaker.

She was a young woman around the same age as Eden, maybe a year older. She had short brown hair with a fringe on the right side of her face transitioning from brown to bright orange in color. She wore Beacon's school uniform, with a few additions to the wardrobe. She had a black beret on her head and a pair of shades resting on the bridge of her nose.

"Coco!"

The woman smirked. "Yo, Vel." she greeted as the girl ran up to her. "Sorry I was late. So, what bastard decided to try something?" she pulled down her sunglasses, pointing her finger at the downed body of Cardin Winchester as he was being pulled up by his teammates. "Moreover, who do I get to thank for kicking his ass?"

All fingers pointed at the Blue haired teen. Instead of basking in the attention, he merely shrugged.

"What's the big deal? I did what anybody with half a brain, common sense, and sense of morals would do."

Coco grinned. "Well, guess the big bad Devil himself has a heart after all." she said jokingly before extending her hand. "Coco Adel, leader of Team CFVY."

"Nice to meet you. Eden Flaemis, member of Team LNCE." Eden took the hand and shook it.

The girl grinned back, which the blue devil returned in kind. Meanwhile, the Teams of LNCE, RWBY, and JNPR were gawking at the sight. One moment Eden was terrifying, and the next, he was jovial as usual. Yang, however, was grinning. "Is it just me, or did it just get hotter in here?"

The table groaned. "...really, Yang?" Ludger asked, exasperated. "Really?"

They knew Yang Xiao Long was infamous for her puns... But that one was just really bad. Before they could continue, however..."

"What on Remnant is going on here?!"

Everyone froze and felt a chin run down their spine as a very angry Glynda Goodwitch stomped into the room. The group instantly knew that she had obviously heard the commotion, as well as the fact that Cardin was being dragged away past her by severely scarred teammates. Her eyes narrowed at Eden, who was smirking, not at all bothered by her glare. "Yo, teach!" he greeted. "How's it hanging?"

"...Mr. Flaemis." Glynda pushed up her glasses. "Care to explain exactly WHY Mr. Winchester was thrown into a wall?"

"I can explain that, professor." Coco interjected before Eden could open his mouth. "That big prick was picking on my teammate. Eden was just protecting her, and Cardin tried to attack him." The boy raised an eyebrow. He didn't even give Cardin a chance to retaliate. Why was she lying? Moreover, she had the balls to lie to Goodwitch of all people? She really had some balls doing that. "Eden retaliated in self-defense... though he took it a bit far." She pushed up her glasses. "Although, I'm pretty sure the rules state that public discrimination and bullying towards Faunus students is prohibited. Isn't that right, Professor Goodwitch."

The woman's eyes narrowed in thought. The girl had a point. Both are prohibited in the walls of Beacon. However, something told her that what she was told was not entirely the truth. Glynda looked at the blue haired boy, Hughes' son, the host of Pluto.

He noticed her gaze, and shrugged. "...what?"

Glynda glared at him for a good, long while, but eventually sighed, face-palming. "...I will let it slide, but only this once." she stated clearly. "Also, Mr. Flaemis, the next time you act in self-defense, do please keep the damage to a minimum. It is tiresome to be cleaning up after students." Her glare worsened. "ESPECIALLY during lunch break."

"Aye aye, professor~"

He saluted her. The instructor nodded curtly before turning on her heel and walking out of the cafeteria. But not before raising her riding crop and repaired the indentation in the wall left by Cardin.

With that, she left the room. Everyone was left stupefied by the whole scene, while Coco grinned at the Blue Devil. "Think of that as my thanks for saving Vel." she told him. "If you need any help, let me know."

"Sure thing. And if anyone else is bullying Velvet, let me know. Ill have a few choice words with them..." he gave a devilish grin.

The whole room suddenly felt a cold chill run down their spines. The Blue Devil, and Coco Adel? That was a terrifying partnership in and itself. Ludger, however, was confused. "Was she at Initiation?" he asked. "I don't think I recognize her."

"It's understandable why." Blake said. "She's actually our senior. Coco Adel, along with her teammate, Velvet Scarlatina, are second year students, as well as the other members of Team CFVY." A frown adopted her face. "Although... I have heard more than a few stories about her dealing with anyone picking on her teammate. Something about a handbag and a gattling gun?"

Ruby's eyes sparkled. "Oooooooooh... You mean a Gatling gun in a handbag?!" she squealed. "That would be AWESOME~!"

"Whoa there, calm down little sis." Yang advised. "Don't go having a heart attack on us."

"But Yaaaaaaaaaang! It's a Gatling gun! IN A HANDBAG! Think about how much that saves space! It's like Jaune's shield!"

The blonde knight smiled thinly "Y-yeah, but I'm pretty sure that handbag weighs more than my shield." Just then, the bell rung, signaling the end of lunch break. "Guess it's off to class. Who do we have next?"

"I think it's..."

XXXXXXXXXX

'What in the heck does he put into his coffee?!'

That was the single question on the minds of every student in the class of one Bartholomew Oobleck.

The green haired, bespectacled teacher moved around the room at a speed that even Ruby is jealous of. In the moments he stopped, he took the time to sip from his mug of coffee.

"Yes! Yes, prior to the Faunus Rights Revolution, more popularly known as the Faunus War, humankind was quite, quite adamant about centralizing Faunus population in Menagerie." Oobleck said, rotating between taking sips of his coffee to speeding around the classroom as if he were on a sugar rush of epic proportions. Ruby made a mental note to ask what he put in coffee, wondering if she could move that fast. "Now! While this must feel like ancient history to many of you, it is imperative to remember that these are relatively recent events!" Everyone tried to keep up with the history teacher as he sped around the classroom, pointing or gesturing to pieces of information relative to the subject he was currently teaching. "Why the repercussions of the uprising can still be seen to this day!"

A pause. Another sip. Then back to speeding around.

"Now! Have any among you been subjugated or discriminated because of your Faunus heritage?" Two students raised their hands, one of them being Velvet, who was sitting beside Eden. "Dreadful, simply dreadful! Remember, students, it is precisely this kind of ignorance that breeds violence!" Another pause. Another sip. "I mean, I mean, I mean just look at what happened to the White Fang! Now, which one of you young scholars can tell me what many theorists believe to be the turning point in the third year of the war?"

Weiss raised her hand. "The battle at Fort Castle!" she answered with a smirk.

"PRECISELY!" Oobleck cheered. "And, who can tell me the advantage the Faunus had over General Lagune's forces?"

Jaune, who had been bored out of his mind, had somehow fallen asleep on his desk, with one hand atop his head. Cardin, who was sporting a large bandage atop his forehead, was smirking as he tossed a sharp-pointed piece of paper at the knight's skull. The impact caused him to snap awake, his hand throwing up in the air. "Hey!"

"Mr. Arc!" Oobleck, in a second, dashed right in front of him, causing him to jump back. "Finally contributing to class! This is excellent! Excellent! What is the answer?"

"A-ah, um..." 'Shit shit shit!' Jaune cursed. 'This is bad! Really bad! Of all the times to snap awake!' He looked around the room, hoping to find an answer. He found no articles that showed any information as such, but some of which that did have info on the Faunus war was obscured by several students. He noticed Pyrrha mouthing the answer to him, but unfortunately, he was unable to read lip, or properly make out. "T-the answer is, uh..." His teammate was noticing his obvious lack of communication, and wrapped her fingers around her eyes, as if to make binoculars. 'They had binoculars?' he questioned. 'Seriously?'

Just before he could make that answer, he found Nico, who was sitting behind Pyrrha, tapping his fingers against his eyelids.

"T-they're, uh..."

'Please be right, Nico!'

"E-e-eyes...?"

Some students erupted into laugher. Cardin in particular was laughing the hardest. Oobleck, however, leaned back. A pause. A sip. Then back to his desk in record time. "Not quite the answer I was looking for, but correct nonetheless!"

Cardin immediately stopped laughing. "Wait, what?!"

"Would anybody care to elaborate on Mr. Arc's answer?"

"It's night vision." Nico stated. "Over ninety percent of Faunus have perfect vision in the dark."

"Correct, Mr. Bodaveg!"

Blake further elaborated on the subject, as she too raised her hand. "General Lagune, unaware of the Faunus' special trait, thought he held the tactical advantage by attacking them while they were asleep in the middle of the night."

"This resulted in a horrible defeat for the General," Pyrrha continued. She then gave a triumphant grin at Cardin, clearly gloating over the fact that her team leader had not fallen prey to his trap. "Perhaps if he were a little smarter, he would have known about that."

Cardin growled. "Please, like some freaking animals can do jack shit!" He yelped when a pencil went past him, piercing itself into the wall behind him. The owner was Eden, who's hands were lit aflame. "Keep up your petty sniping, and I'll rip the hair from your pate, do you hear me?" he warned, causing Cardin to back down. Velvet could only giggle at this, clearly happy over the fact that Cardin was being subjected to the receiving end of being targeted.

"Mr. Winchester," Oobleck said evenly, giving the tall man a level glare. "I'll be seeing you...after class." The man groaned, hanging his head low while glaring at the members of Team JNPR and LNCE. "Class dismissed! Prepare for a test next week! And remember, study diligently!" With that, the bell rung, and everyone flowed out of the room.

Jaune sighed heavily in relief, giving a grateful look to Nico. "Thanks man." he said. "I thought I was a goner."

"No problem. At least you said eyes instead of something ridiculous like binoculars..." The berserker replied. "But seriously, Jaune you need to start paying better attention so you don't fall into traps like that."

Jaune sighed. "Y-yeah, I know..." he said dejectedly. Dammit, this was so lame... Even now, he was still relying on other people. He hated relying on other people. The whole reason he joined Beacon was to become stronger, someone worthy of the Arc name, and more importantly, become the hero he always dreamed of. How was he supposed to become that if he had to rely on other people to solve his problems?

"Hey Jaune?" His musings were interrupted by his partner.

"Y-Yeah?" Pyrrha grabbed him by the wrist.

"Come with me, I want to show you something."

"Eh?" Jaune blinked before he was suddenly pulled away. "W-wait, Pyrrha! H-hold on aaaaaaaaaaaah!"

The group stared as the red-haired champion pulled her leader away, leaving behind a dust trail in her wake. "...what..." Ruby frowned. "Just happened?"

"I'm not entirely sure." Nico said, also in confusion. 'Although, if I'm right, I know why Pyrrha dragged him off.'

"I'll catch up with you guys later." The tanned teen told them.

"Huh? Where are you going, Nico?" Ludger questioned.

"I'm just gonna check up on something. See you guys back in the dorms..." He walked away while giving them an overhead wave.

Ruby tilted her head. "What's up with him?"

"Dunno." Yang shrugged. "Maybe he's curious. Hell, for all we know, Jaune and Pyrrha might be confessing one another's love~"

"Ooh~! We should go and film this!" Nora exclaimed as she whipped out her scroll.

"Nora. That is an invasion of privacy." Ren stated.

"But Reeeeeeeeeeeen!"

"Nora." Ren said firmly. "No."

"Aaaaaaaw!"

"Speaking of confessions..." the brawler grinned as she looked at Ruby. "When do you and Nico plan on getting together?"

Ruby spluttered, her cheeks burning red. "Y-Yang?! What are you saying?!" she squeaked. "W-we're just friends who are obsessed with weapons! That's it!"

"Suuuuuure you are~" Yang rolled her tongue in amusement.

"W-w-w-well what about you?!" Ruby retorted. "What about you and Eden?!"

"Well, I do admit he's pretty cute." Yang grinned. "And I'm sure I can name a few other girls agree with me." She looked to her teammates. "Right?"

"...no comment." Blake said, exasperated. Weiss nodded in agreement, shaking her head in disapproval. "Anyway, let's just go. I'd rather not be here when Cardin is let out."

"Agreed." the heiress said, also not wishing to be in that brute's presence. "In all honesty, I'm hoping Eden bashes his head in again. As much as I hate to admit it, I rather enjoyed watching that brute getting knocked down a peg."

"Oh I can do more than that..." The Blue Devil pointed out as he walked up to them. He missed most of the conversation, but managed to overhear the last bit of what Weiss said. "I can slowly char him, break 103 of his bones to kill him half way, make him bleed out, use various kinds of psychological torture, water torture, etc." He listed off each thing by his fingers.

The group was left both disturbed and slightly horrified... all except for Nora, who appeared to be in agreement. "Oooh! Ooh! Don't forget breaking his legs and then dangling him as Griffon bait!"

Ren groaned, face-palming. "NORA!"

XXXXXXXXXX

The view was spectacular from the rooftop, as was the cool breeze. Jaune had to admit, he wished he had found this sooner. It would have made a good place to take naps when he needed to get away from all the stress in his life.

The only thing that concerned him was that there were no fences around the perimeter of the roof, meaning that there was nothing to prevent anyone from accidentally falling off the building.

That anxiety only got stronger as he peered over the edge, noting how high up he and Pyrrha were.

"Kind of beautiful, isn't it?" Pyrrha asked, smiling. "I found it while I was exploring campus on the first week."

"It is..." Jaune nodded in agreement. "...but I'm kinda worried that there are no fences around here. It'd be pretty bad if someone accidentally walked off." It would be even worse for anybody that was depressed. Thankfully he wasn't THAT depressed.

Pyrrha nodded in agreement before she turned to face her friend, face set in worry. "Jaune... Seriously, what is wrong?"

"W-what?" he blinked. "What do you mean?"

"You've been acting strange these past few weeks. You've been struggling in class and in spars...you don't seem as confident as you were before..."

"Y-yeah well..."

The girl frowned. "Is it... because of Cardin?"

"W-well, not him, but..." Jaune rubbed the back of his neck, nervous. Why was Pyrrha asking him about this all of a sudden? Did she think he wasn't doing his best? Or was she just suspicious? He didn't think it was the last one as much as it was the first one, which was true in a sense. He was hardly doing his best... and for a lot of reasons. "I-I'm just... having trouble, is all."

"Trouble?" she cocked her head. "Jaune... If you want, I can tutor you."

He grimaced. Dammit! There it was! The pity!

It was always like this! Everyone pitying him! Was it because he was weak? Was it because he was stupid? Was it because he was unskilled? Was it because he just wasn't worthy?! Dammit all! Even his own friends pity him...Was he really that pathetic?

"I-I don't need help, okay?"

"But Jaune..." Pyrrha tried to reach out to him, but he stepped back.

"Seriously, I'm fine! I don't need your guys' help! I don't want to have to rely on you guys for every single thing!" He nearly shouted.

Unbeknownst to the two, Nico stood behind the door to the roof, overhearing every word. As soon as he heard what Jaune said, he scowled.

'Okay, enough is enough.'

The boy opened the door, surprising the two. Why was Nico here?

"N-Nico? What are you doing here?" Jaune asked.

The tanned teen had stepped out from the doorway, a heavy frown on his face. "Jaune, this is idiotic." he stated bluntly. "Why in the hell are you so damned adamant about not accepting help?"

"I-I just don't wanna be a burden on-!"

"Enough with the bullshit, Arc." Nico growled vehemently. "Just answer us already!"

Jaune flinched, never having heard Nico speak with such a tone. Pyrrha was also not used to hearing such a tone from him, but she was in agreement. Why was Jaune avoiding the issue? "Jaune, you can trust us." she told him, almost pleadingly so. "This isn't like you... If you're worried about not having potential, just look at where you are!" She gestured to the school grounds. "You made it into Beacon! That should tell you-!"

"I didn't make it into Beacon!" Jaune shouted, albeit unintentionally. Pyrrha winced, taking a step back, as his words came out harsher than intended. Nico, however, narrowed his eyes. Only now that he understood his words, and cursed. 'Way to go, Jaune...'

"J-Jaune..." his teammate stuttered. "What do you mean by that?"

It was too late for any excuses or half-lies. His words had just dug his own grave. Nico knew what his words meant, and his eyes glared deep straight into him. "You didn't..."

A sigh escaped him, unable to meet either of their gazes. "I...I never went to combat schools. I never went to Signal. I didn't even get formal training from my family. I..." he took a deep, shuddering breath. "I used fake transcripts." There. He let the bomb drop. Pyrrha's eyes widened in shock. "I don't belong here, Pyrrha... I never have. I just..." He gritted his teeth, hands balling into fists. "I wanted to be like my grandparents, someone that could protect people! A hero, someone others could look up to." He shook his head. "Then I got thrown into Initiation, and reality bit me in the ass." He scowled. "I don't belong here... I never did."

Neither teen could even speak at what was just said. Pyrrha was stunned speechless, her mind unable to process what she just heard. Nico on the other hand was silent for another reason, his head tilted down, casting a shadow over his eyes.

"J-Jaune, I..." Pyrrha stammered. Jaune ignored her, and continued.

"My father, my grandfather, and his father before him were all warriors! They were all heroes! I wanted to be one, too. I was just never good enough."

"Then let us help you!"

"No!" he snapped angrily, shaking his head. Why didn't she understand?! "I don't want help! I don't want to be the damsel in distress! I want to be the hero! I'm tired of being the lovable idiot, stuck in the tree while his friends fight for their lives! Don't you understand? If I can't do this on my own... then what good am I?"

The girl fell silent. Nico's eyes remained closed, but his body was shaking. Eventually, he looked up, revealing eerily calm, yet angry eyes. "Jaune."

"What?" the blonde knight asked dejectedly.

"...clench your teeth."

"Huh? Why?" He was confused.

"Just do it..." His tone of voice left no room for argument.

Jaune shrugged, completely confused by the situation and did so. Neither he nor Pyrrha expected what happened next.

WHAM!

Nico's fist impacted Jaune's cheek, his tattoos glowing violently, as if responding to his rage.

The Blonde knight flew in the air and crashed into the wall behind him. He remained stuck there for a moment before he slumped down, his head being circled by floating Grimm. Pyrrha looked on in horror by the action. She turned to Nico to demand why he had done such a thing...but words died in her throat once she laid eyes on his face. His expression was absolutely livid. The markings on his face flared brightly, his eyes were completely white with rage. There were no pupils or irises, only blind fury. His teeth were clenched tightly in a bestial snarl. His hands twitched as if they wanted to strike something else, to cause more destruction. The Spartan remembered something...why the Bodavegs were known as Berserkers...

Back with Jaune, the dazed blonde finally shook his head to reorient himself. He was startled by the glare Nico was giving him, but his pride outweighed his fear, forcing him to stand on his feet with an annoyed glare. "Dude! Wh-What the hell was that for?!" He tried to keep the trembling out of his voice to appear strong. He failed.

"You are an idiot!" Nico shouted back.

"H-huh?"

"Why the hell are you pushing other people away!? You have friends! Why don't you let them help you?!"

"...You...you'll never understand...This is something I need to do for myself..." he looked away.

"That is why you are an idiot!" Nico grabbed the Knight by the shoulders and rammed a knee into his gut, forcing the air out of the blonde's lungs. "That way of thinking is idealistic, arrogant, stupidly prideful, stubborn, and just plain idiotic!" With each word, he slammed his knee into Jaune's gut. "Why can't you understand that even heroes...even your ancestors...needed assistance from others! No man can do anything by himself!" He finished it by elbowing the blonde in the back, slamming him to the ground.

"J-JAUNE!" Pyrrha tried to help her partner, but Nico's glare stopped her in her tracks.

"Stay out of this, Nikos!" Nico growled. "This is between me and the prideful idiot over here!" He stomped on Jaune's back, his foot pinning him down.

"Khrgh-!" Jaune wheezed before he glared. "Get... OFF!" He managed to pry Nico off of him. How, though, he didn't know. Nico landed away from him, but his rage was still clear as he managed to get back up to his feet. "Okay, so maybe I'm prideful! Maybe I am an idiot!" he glared back at his friend. "But so what?! We can't all be from a freaking distinguished line of huntsman!"

As soon as the words left his lips, Nico's face was set into a cold, venomous scowl. "Jaune... The Bodaveg family is FAR from distinguished. They are nothing but PIGS that deserve to be thrown to the Grimm with their limbs cut off!" The two looked shocked by him stating such a thing. His emotions were running on high, especially with the memories resurfacing, the memories he tried to repress. "For as long as I could remember, my family has had only one rule: be a warrior first, and be human second. I was barely six years old when they took me to Forever Fall with only my fists and my instincts. They left me alone in a forest to fend for myself, up against Grimm and hell knows what else. When I came out, I was inches away from death. Ever since, my parents left me to my own devices, but I was NEVER allowed into the outside world."

He recalled them vividly. He remembered how his parents would beat him senseless during their training, uncaring if he whined or complained about broken bones or shattered ribs or infected cuts or stomach cramps or any such excuses. They never wanted excuses. They wanted results. Proof that he was becoming strong. If they saw a weakness, they would beat it out of him.

"My whole life has been nothing but hell, day in and day out." Nico continued, his rage still there, but more controlled. "The only actual reprieve I ever had was my sister. Every night, I would sneak out of the forest to see her." He gritted his teeth, hands clenching tightly that the nails pierced into the skin. "She was the only thing that ever mattered in my life. I grew up into becoming a Huntsman because my family wanted it for me, just so their pathetic legacy could continue... But they pushed it unto me, and not my sister. Do you know why?" He looked up at them, their faces set into the reactions they expected. Horror, anger, empathy. They couldn't fathom how parents would force such grueling rules upon a child who could barely defend himself. "It was because they thought she was WEAK."

"W-weak?" Jaune spluttered. "W-why?"

A tired sigh escaped him. "My sister, she... She was born with a rare disease. Aura deficiency. Her Aura levels were so low that, even if she underwent basic training, her Aura would be diminished in minutes, if not seconds. Because of that, my parents thought she was a lost cause. They didn't pay any attention to her. I didn't care back then. All I cared about was making her happy." The rage resurfaced, his teeth grinding against each other. "Then, one day, I overheard my parents talking... They were planning on giving her up." The two's faces fell into utter horror and disgust. "A little girl, barely five, was going to be abandoned. A girl who would die because there would be no one there. All because she was WEAK."

His body trembled. His breath shuddered.

"I... I couldn't take it. When they were asleep, I grabbed my sister, and we left the forest. I didn't know where we were going, or where we would end up. I didn't care. I wanted her as far away from those monsters as possible." He looked back at Jaune. "Listen to me, Jaune... Isolating yourself is NEVER a good thing. You may think it's brave or noble to try and take things on by yourself, but I'll tell you now; it's not. It makes you bitter, and lonely, and before you even realize it, the people who could have helped you are gone. All because you pushed them away."

"That kind of existence, Jaune... it's nothing but Hell."

Neither the Knight nor the Spartan could form any words...What they were just told...their minds were still trying to process everything. From what they heard...the Bodavegs were a distinguished line of Huntsmen stretching back to the days of yore. They were depicted to be prideful, honorable warriors with strength unparalleled.

That image was completely shattered by Nico's hate filled words. There was nothing glorious of what his parents had done...they were monsters. They were even more inhuman than the creatures of Grimm.

Unbeknownst to all of them...a little red reaper stood behind the closed door, overhearing everything.

Ruby's body was shaking. Her hands trembled. Her lower lips quivered. Tears were openly falling from her face.

...Why...why did Nico have to suffer like that? From day one...he had no one...Not even his own parents were there for him! They didn't even see him as their son! They only say him as an item. A tool. A WEAPON!

She couldn't take it. This was just too much for her. She never experienced any such hardships in her life. Her parents weren't the monsters that his were, so she was unable to understand his pain. However, hearing it... her heart just couldn't take it anymore. She quickly dashed away, leaving behind only rose petals in her wake. Her eyes were practically glued shut as she charged through the hallways. Her form was practically a black and red blur to the night owls of Beacon before she reached her dorm room. She practically tore the door down in her charge, but was halted when she clashed against Yang, causing her to hit the ground.

"Ooof!" Yang winced, feeling the brunt of the impact. "Oww... Dang it, Ruby, where's the...fire..." she trailed off when she saw Ruby on the floor, tears flowing down her face. "W-whoa, Ruby?! What happened?!" The girl looked up, nothing but a sobbing mess before she lunged at Yang, wrapping her small arms around her, and finally let loose with the damn of waterworks. Cries and sobs escaped her as she held unto her sister, pouring her heart out from the despair she felt upon hearing Nico's life story. "R-Ruby?! Ruby, what's wrong?!"

"N-Nico! He...Nico's...He's...Parents...Monsters...!" She sobbed incoherently.

"Wh-What?" Yang tried to translate what her sister said. But she had an inkling of an idea...

"What in the name of Remnant is going on here?!" Weiss demanded angrily as she stepped out from the bathroom in her night gown. Her anger faded when she saw Ruby's sobbing form. "W-what the?! Yang, what did you do?!"

"I-I didn't do anything!" she denied. "Ruby, what's wrong?!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"N-nico... I..." Jaune tried to find the words, but failed to do so. What could he possibly say to that? How in the world was he supposed to know about his life? At first, he was jealous about him having such a distinguished bloodline... but now he knew better. That family... it was nothing but monsters. "I... I'm sorry, I... I had no idea..."

"Nobody has any idea." the Berserker said bluntly. "It's just how they are."

"But...But still..." Pyrrha was unable to say much either. At first, she thought Nico and her were similar. Herself being a renowned Champion in Mistral, and him as the heir to the Bodavegs. They were both people who were known for what people see them as, and not as individuals. But now...now she knew better...The life he lived...she just couldn't imagine it.

"Listen, Jaune." the boy said sternly. "I understand why you want to take this on by yourself... but your pushing your friends away. What will you do when you can't find yourself able to handle your problems, and everyone who wanted to help you is gone?"

The blonde flinched. He...he didn't want to push his friends away...he just wanted to be more independent, to prove to others that he can handle things on his own and not be overly dependent on others. But...what was he thinking? He needed help, and he just turns down offers of assistance from everyone.

"If you're serious about not accepting help from others, Jaune..." Nico said evenly, folding his arms. "...then I'll tell Glynda about your transcripts."

"Wh-WHAT?!" Jaune sputtered, Pyrrha was equally alarmed. He was willing to rat him out, just like that?! While he did bring up a valid point, they still couldn't believe him. How could he say that with a straight face?! He was threatening to get Jaune expelled!

"Nico, have you gone mad?!" she screamed. "If you tell the Professors, Jaune will-!"

The boy simply smirked. "Then he doesn't have any choice but to agree to you training him, now does he?"

Both teens stared at the boy in shock. They looked at him, then one another, and then back to him.

...He had them at check mate. He had this well planned out.

"...you know, Nico?" Jaune deadpanned. "You're a worse Devil than Eden."

"...Honestly, I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment or not..." Nico sweat-dropped.

Pyrrha smiled. "Still..." she giggled as she looked at Jaune. "I guess I'll be helping you out tomorrow." She smirked as she put her hands on her hips. "I fully expect you to be here bright and early, understand, leader?" she put a slight emphasis on the last word, as well as a drawl. Jaune sighed, hanging his head low, but nodded. She then turned to Nico with a smile. "Thanks, Nico... You are a very good person."

"No problem. I do anything to help my friends...that was one of the things my father taught me..."

This stirred confusion amongst the two. "But I thought you said-"

"My adoptive father." Nico clarified. "Even though we are not blood related, I consider him to be my true father. Those monsters are dead to me."

The two nodded. "Well, it's getting late." Pyrrha said, noticing how dark it had become. The sky was close to dusk, and most likely, it would become night soon. "C'mon, Jaune. Let's head to bed."

"Yeah..." the blonde knight nodded, suddenly now tired after today's events. The two passed Nico, but he paused, turning to the dark-skinned berserker. "You coming, Nico?"

"In a bit." he told them. "I want to take in the scenery more." With that, Jaune and Pyrrha nodded in understanding, and left the rooftop. As soon as they did, Nico's eyes narrowed dangerously, and his tattoos adopted a faint glow. He trudged over to the edge of the roof, knelt down, and lowered himself down.

"OWOWOWOWOWOWO!" a pained cry yelped into the air as Nico grabbed something below him, hoisted it up, and then threw it to the floor. "Son of a bitch! What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

Nico gave him a glare. "...it isn't nice to eavesdrop, Cardin Winchester."

The leader of Team CRDL sneered at him as he pulled himself back on his feet. Although it was kind of hard to take him seriously with that bandage on his face.

"Well what's it to you?! You guys were right above my dorm room. How could I not? Besides...I heard some pretty juicy stuff-"

That was as far as he got as Nico jumped up and kneed him in the face.

"OW!" Cardin yelped. "Son of a-! I swear, is every Bodaveg like you?!"

"I dunno." Nico shrugged. "How about we find out?"

"Wha-?! Gragh!" Nico's hands lashed out and grabbed Cardin's arm...the same arm that he broke previously.

"I see that it's all healed up. It's amazing what a little aura and medical treatment can do..." he commented offhandedly before tightening his grip on two specific points on the limb. Cardin broke out in pale sweat, instinctual feel welling up.

"W-w-whoa, hold on!" he tried to reason with him. "Why don't we talk about this?!"

"Oh, we are." Nico stated simply. "I'm just giving a little incentive to make sure that fat mouth of yours stays shut...!" As he spoke, his expression shifted from one of calmness to one of restrained wrath. Cardin felt the bones of his arms start to creak.

All it took was an agonizing, slow turn to the left, and he dislocated Cardin's arm.

"Gragh! My arm!" he cried.

"Oh, man up." Nico deadpanned. "At least I dislocated it and not break it this time. It will be an easy fix."

"Y-you fucker!" Cardin growled. "You son of a bitch! I swear, when I get out of this, you and Jauney boy are-!" He was cut off when Nico rammed his foot into his face. Nico let go of his arm, and grabbed him up by the collar. Blood was dribbling down Cardin's nose. "Y-you piece of...!"

The tanned boy smirked. "Maybe Jaune was right." he commented to himself. "Maybe I'm worse than Eden if I'm doing THIS."

It was only now Cardin realized that Nico was holding directly close to the edge of the rooftop. The fact alone caused him to stammer. "Oh, oh jeez!" he panicked. "H-hey, would you move already?!"

"If you say so."

Nico let go of his collar, only to grab his tie in respsone. Cardin yelped as he was only a few inches away from falling. As it stood, Nico was the only thing keeping him from becoming an ugly, red splatter on the pavement.

"H-H-Hey! Dude! Nico! C'mon! This ain't funny anymore!" Cardin stammered. He failed his located arm wildly, trying to maintain his balance.

"Know this, Cardin Winchester..." Nico's eyes narrowed into a sharp glare as the tattoos on his body glowed and simmered. "If you ever...EVER...decide to cross me or my friends...Especially Jaune..." He released a finger from his grip on the tie, causing Cardin to panic even further. "You would wish you really were dead..."

Then, he loosened his grip. Cardin's eyes widened in shock and dread.

Finally, Nico let go.

"GYAAAAAAAAGH!" The bully screamed in terror as he tumbled backward off the edge.

In a split second, his short descent was halted when Nico grabbed his leg.

"Is my point across now, Cardin Winchester?"

"YOU'RE FUCKING INSANE!"

"Is. My. Point. Across?"

As soon as Nico finished his question, he loosened one finger, his pinky, from his grip on Cardins leg, causing the male to pale like a ghost. "You have one last chance, Cardin Winchester...I would hate to explain to everyone why there was a bloody stain on the ground around the building." he loosened his ring finger. "Then again...I can always chalk it up to suicide. No one would ever know..." he loosened his middle finger, leaving only his index finger and thumb being the only things prevents Cardin from splattering all over the ground below. "Now...last chance. Time is almost up. I only have one more finger to loosen before you fall to your death. What is it going to be? Is my point across now?"

"YES!" Cardin screamed at the top of his legs. "FUCKING HELL! YES! YOUR POINT IS ACROSS! JUST PULL ME UP!

"Alright then..." Nico tightened his grip on Cardin's ankle and pulled him up...then swung him back towards the open window to his dorm room.

A resounding CRASH! echoed into the air, followed by pain cries. Nodding to himself, Nico turned around, and left the rooftop. 'I think Eden must be rubbing off on me.' he thought amusingly. 'Though he probably would have threatened to burn him at the stake, or worse.' As he descended down the flight of stairs into the corridor, which led to the dorms, his ears perked up. He could hear the sound of trudging footsteps. 'What in the...?'

He poked his head around the corner, and activated his Semblance, bringing up his arms just in time to defend himself against the sudden blast that struck him. A second later, he ducked, avoiding having his head bashed in. "Nico Bodaveg...!" Yang Xiao Long growled, eyes burning red and hair set aflame. "You, and I... are going to have a very, very VEEEEERY long talk!"

The boy stared at her for several seconds, blinking rapidly, before speaking.

"...huh?"

 **-Jaune Arc: END-**

 **Next Time: Forever Intertwined in the Falls**


	9. Chapter 9

**Co-Written with Demons Anarchy of Pride. The creator of many fantastic masterpieces such as: Fire Emblem: Eternity Unto Reformation, Code Geass: Lelouch of the R-eset, The Crow: DxD, Highschool, DxD: Shatter Destiny, RWBY's Reaper, Code Geass 00, Fractured Reality, Code Geass: Suzaku of the Counterattack, Devil Survivor: Destiny Rewind, and some of his new projects, such as Lagrange 111: You Are (Not) Alone, Tokyo Ghoul: A Flowered Colored Darker Than Black, Persona 4: The Unseen Truth, Monarch, Kill the Deadly Sin, Code Geass: The Butterfly Effect, DxD: Final, DC Heroes: FORGOTTEN BLOODSTAINED LEGACY, DxD: Nocturne, Project, A Tale of Three Dragons, A Dragon Darker than Black, Code Geass: Kill the Rebellion, RWBY: Colorless Memories, RWBY: Black Rebellion, and more.**

 **I highly recommend you check them all out.**

 **I really appreciate your help, man. Couldn't have done this without ya!**

 **Thank you to all who continue to support this story. Please Read and Review.**

 **Also…..ALL FLAMES CAN JUST BURN IN HELL!... So don't even bother.**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Chapter 7: Forever Intertwined in the Falls**

"You have ten seconds to explain why Ruby is a crying mess!"

"W-wait, hold on a minute here! C-calm down-WHOA!"

Yang grabbed him by the collar and held him up in the air. "Eight seconds!" She growled, her hair blazing in all directions.

Nico frowned as he struggled against Yang's grip. "I-I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Six seconds!"

"Yang, please!" Nico tried to reason with her. But he then processed what the Blonde had said four seconds ago. "Wait, why is Ruby crying in the first place?! Did something happen to her?!" He asked in concern.

"Two seconds!"

"H-hey, you skipped a nu-"

"TIME'S UP!"

Yang pulled one of her hands from Nico's collar and cocked a fist, ready to smash his face in.

He brought up his arms, and activated his Semblance, pouring his Aura into his hands.

His black tattoos glowed violently as he pulled his arms up to shield his face.

Yang threw a punch. Her weapon opened fire, but the blast merely served to throw him further into the wall. He winced slightly, feeling small pieces of concrete debris piercing into his skin. He then shifted his weight as Yang swung her leg at his head, her heel making contact with his arms, and thus throwing him further into the hallway. "Yang, hold on a second-!" he tried in vain to reason with her, but Yang was charging at him with feral, almost demonic eyes set ablaze with rage as she threw shot after shot with Ember Celica, leaving him no time to properly counterattack. "Just stop for a sec-!" He was unable to block one of the shots, and it collided with his face, causing him to stagger back. Yang rushed in, and rammed her fist straight into his abdoment, knocking the wind right out of his sails, and then delivered a harsh uppercut, knocking him into the air, following up with a roundhouse kick straight to his back.

Nico struck the wall hard before bouncing off and landing further down the corridor. He struggled to pull himself back up, a bit disoriented from the strike to his chin. The blonde brawler refused to give him a moment of recovery as she stomped right up to him and grabbed him by the scruff of his collar.

She reared her arm back, fist clenched. Nico was sure this hit was going to be a doozey.

Thankfully, however, help arrived in the form of a black blur wrapping around her arm, and pulling her back. Nico dropped to the floor, wheezing slightly while Yang, bewildered glared at Blake, who had her restrained, Gambal Shroud's thread wrapped around her arm. "Let me go, Blake!" she warned, eyes still burning red. "I'm going to kill him!"

"Yang, enough." her partner said calmly. "I can understand why you're angry, but have you asked Nico for his side of the story?"

"What's there to ask?! He hurt Ruby, she cried, and I'm gonna-" She was cut off when ice was suddenly planted in her mouth, causing her to blink rapidly in confusion. Weiss gave her a warning glare as she holstered Myrtenaster.

"I believe you've caused quite enough damage for one day, Yang." the heiress said, folding her arms. Yang would have snapped at her, if not for the ice that was in her mouth. "And don't talk with your mouth full, either."

The blonde tightened her jaw around the ice, which threatened to break under the strain.

"Whoa...what the hell's going on here?" a certain Blue Devil questioned as he walked in on the commotion. He was curious as to what was happening when he saw Yang rush out of her dorm room looking as if she were about to murder someone with her team mates trying to calm her down. Naturally, he was curious and followed, which led them to now.

"What in the-?!" Jaune, who was also following Eden, saw the battered form of Nico on the ground, and immediately ran over to him. "Crap, Nico! What the heck happened?!"

"Urgh..." the tattooed boy groaned. "Misunderstanding... and led to me getting my ass kicked."

"Misunderstanding...? What do you..." Eden trailed off after looking up to see Yang struggling to break free from Blake's hold, glaring daggers at the berserker.

"...um," the knight cocked his head. "Why does Yang have ice in her mouth and look seriously pissed off at Nico?"

"It's because Ruby barged into our dorm room and crashed into Yang in a sobbing mess." Weiss explained. "We asked her what was wrong, but the only words we could make out were 'monsters', 'pain', and 'Nico', which led Yang to assume that Nico had done something to her to make her like this."

Nico's eyes widened at this as Jaune helped him up. He shared a look with the knight, who also nodded in understanding. It was clear by that explanation that the red reaper had overheard them talking about his past. "Jaune," Blake said, keeping her hold over the still furious Yang. "Do you know something?"

"Er, yeah..." he nodded hesitantly. He looked at Nico, who gave him a nod, as if saying it was alright. "Um, I think Ruby might have overheard our conversation up on the rooftop."

"And what exactly were you talking about?" Eden asked curiously. "Must have been pretty serious if it turned short-stuff into a crying heap."

"To put it bluntly?" Jaune said. "Me being an idiot, Nico knocking some sense into me." He paused, shooting the man in question a glare. "Literally. And then hearing about his parents."

Yang finally broke free from the ice, ramming her teeth together and causing it to shatter. She then spat out the chunks of ice before turning to face Jaune with a narrowed glare. "Start talking." she said dangerously, cracking her knuckles. "NOW."

"O-Okay, okay!" the blonde yelped, not wanting to be on the receiving end of Yang's fury. He proceeded to explain what happened on the roof. He left out the bit about his falsified transcripts though. While Weiss, Blake, and Yang were his friends, he didn't feel comfortable telling them about that piece of info yet.

XXXXXXXXXX

"...okay, first off, sorry I ever beat the shit out of you." Yang apologized, her eyes having lost their red color and returned to their lilac luster. "Secondly, if I ever meet your parents, I am going to introduce them to my Ember Celica."

"You'll have to get in line Yang..." Eden interjected. "...That will be after I incinerate them and rend them to pieces."

Weiss shook her head, her face set into a snarling scowl. "I had always believed the Bodaveg family to be the paragon of what it meant to be a Huntsman, but after this?" she said, hostility clear in her voice. "Now, I want to run them through, and make sure their licenses are removed, and throw them behind bars on grounds of child abuse."

Blake didn't say a word, but her features were twisted in clear disgust. She knew that people could be monsters...but this was on a completely different level.

"Yeah, I think that sums up mine and Pyrrha's thoughts about Nico's parents in a nutshell." Jaune rubbed the back of his neck. "Still, I know you were overprotective of Ruby, but were you seriously gonna kill Nico?"

"Well...sorta..."

Nico sweat-dropped. "...remind me never to do anything to Ruby period." he said simply, followed by a collective nod. "Well, then again, I'd do the same for Celty if someone did anything to her."

"Celty?" Yang raised a brow.

"My younger sister." Nico elaborated.

"Well, as much as I'd like to continue this conversation, can we move elsewhere?" Weiss suggested. "I'd hate to explain to Professor Goodwitch why we're out so late."

"Agreed, let's-" Nico was cut off when a familiar blur, followed by red petals, dashed straight past him and rammed into Yang.

"YANG, YOU MORON!"

"Oof!"

The blonde brawler was flung backwards and crashed into the wall behind her.

The girl could have sworn she saw Nevermores flying around her head, her mind spinning, while Ruby straddled her hips, flailing her arms wildly and delivering weak hits to her older sister.

"You idiot! Moron! Dummy!" She kept hitting Yang.

But none of the hits actually did any damage. Anyone in Signal, much less Patch, knew that when it came to fighting without her Crescent Rose, Ruby was practically a sitting duck. Hand-to-hand combat was her weak point, thus to Yang, it felt like small pebbles whacking against her shoulders. As she snapped out of her daze, shaking her head, she pouted. "Oh, come on, Ruby!" she whined. "You're my precious baby sister! Anyone who hurts you're feelings is gonna get it!"

"And what was there to get?!" Ruby snapped childishly. "What did you think Nico did wrong?!"

She stared at her younger sister flatly. "Uh, that he rejected you?"

Her sister's face flushed to a bright crimson. "N-No! That's not it at all!" She didn't even notice Nico behind her.

"Rejection?" Nico raised an eyebrow. "What does she mean by 'rejection?' What on Remnant are you two talking about?"

"N-nothing!" Ruby said quickly, her face still red. "Nothing at all! Don't mind Yang, she's just a big stupid head!" She glared at the blonde as she grinned amusingly. "And don't you are dare say another word!"

"Alright, alright~" She held up her hands in defense.

The group shook her head, though Nico was even more confused. Eden seemed to understand what was going on as he chuckled, patting the teen on the shoulder. "Congrats, man." he grinned. "You just got yourself a girl~"

"I have no idea what you are talking about." Nico deadpanned.

"Whatever you say~ Oh yeah, before I forget, what was taking you so long to get back? Jaune and Pyrhha came back earlier than you did." Nico looked at Ruby, who was currently trying to reprimanded (cutely, he may add) Yang for trying to beat the crap out of him, and then turned to Eden, leaning in and whispering in his ear. The Blue Devil's eyes widened as he looked at Nico incredulously. "No shit?" The boy nodded. He grinned. "It's official, Nico Bodaveg. You are now my new best bud."

"Huh? Why? What happened?" Not RWBY and Jaune were curious.

"Nico dangled Cardin over the roof!" Eden laughed. "He practically threatened to drop him if he said anything about Jaune!"

The others then looked at the berserker with horrified expressions.

Nico shrugged. "What?"

He had no idea why they were so strung up over this. Cardin threatened to blab about Jaune's fake transcripts and he retaliated. Simple as that.

Obviously, they were unaware of the transcripts bit, as their faces showed nothing but horror. "Are you out of your mind?!" Jaune screamed with wide eyes. "Nico, if Cardin says anything about this, you could get kicked out!"

"I doubt it." Nico shook his head. "I think dangling him over the roof has made it perfectly clear what will happen if he tries anything. That, and a dislocated shoulder should serve as a reminder." He then turned to Eden. "If not that, Eden could set him on fire."

The mercenary grinned. "Oh, I can do ya better." he said, chuckling evilly. "By the time I'm through with him, Hell will sound very much like paradise."

Everyone else, sans Nico, felt chills crawl up their spines. It didn't help the fact that Eden's hands were lit with blue flames as he rubbed them together in a malicious manner. Eden truly is a Devil.

"...Eden?" Yang said, her face set evenly. "You know, I dig tall, dark, and gruesome guys from time to time... But you're way too dark."

The blue-haired teen grinned back at her. "Well, Yang, since you feel that way about me..." He walked over to her, and patted her on the shoulder. Leaning in, he whispered into her ear, "I have a thing for blondes who can break a bone or two."

To the rest of Team RWBY's amazement, Yang's face actually became tinted red.

"W-what?" came the spluttered response. "What did you just say?"

"Well, time to hit the sack!" Eden said as he patted Nico' shoulder, as if gesturing for him to follow. "C'mon, guys, let's go to bed! I don't wanna be hear when Glynda talks our ears off!" With that said, he walked down the hallway, Nico following behind him.

Yang, however, was still a fumbling mess. "Yang?" Ruby called out. "Hello? You there?" There came no response from her, as Ruby continued to try and snap her back to her senses. Meanwhile, Nico raised an eyebrow as he looked at Eden. "...what on Earth did you do?"

"Just a little teasing is all." Eden shrugged, smiling half-heartedly. "I mean, hey, I find her attractive... But if I'm gonna date someone; I want to get to know them better." He smirked back at Nico. "I assume you want to learn more about Ruby too, right?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Suuure you don't~" Eden rolled his tongue amusingly.

"...No. I seriously do NOT know what you are talking about."

"Okay, okay, fine~ If you wanna play it off, fine by me." the Blue Devil chuckled. "Just be sure to use protecting when you two get at it."

Nico frowned in confusion. "What in the world are you talking about?" he asked. "What do you mean by, use protection? Is that a slang term?"

XXXXXXXXXX

For thousands of miles, foliage of the trees and the grass of the bloody forest painted the landscape a dusty red. As the leaves fall from their branches, one could mistake them for crimson snow. This morbid yet beautiful sight lasts continuously all year, hence the name, Forever Fall.

For the eyes that first see it, it is a magnificent spectacle to behold.

For the eyes of the experienced, it is a reminder to the blood spilled by the Grimm who lurk in these woods.

For the eyes of one Nico Bodaveg, it is nothing more than a hateful, bitter memory.

He couldn't help but stare at the surroundings with a sense of loathing. Teams JNPR and RWBY, as well as Eden, knew how much pain it must have caused him, to be back in the place that he, at one point, used to call home, albeit with disdain and hatred. Being here must have created some rather bitter memories for him. Ruby in particular look at him with worry, hands fiddling with her skirt.

She wanted to talk to him...but had no idea how to approach him. Ever since the other night...things have been rather awkward. Although...it was more on her end than Nico's.

While it wasn't clear at first, Nico was shown to be rather oblivious to any sort of romantic feeling. He was apparently confounded and confused when Ruby apologized for Yang's teasing and told him not to take any of it seriously, and given his upbringing, she assumed that it was because of the people who dared to call themselves parents. Having lost her mother, Ruby didn't know what it was like to live the sort of life Nico had. She always had her sister and her father, as well as Zwei, but all Nico had was his sister, and she was being threatened with being thrown way, all because she was afflicted with a rare disease that made her future of being a Huntress uncertain and unlikely.

She couldn't even begin to understand why his parents could be so heartless. This was their own flesh and blood they were talking about! Honestly, she was glad that Nico took Celty and ran away. Somehow, the thought of him carrying a little girl in her arms made her blush as her imagination began to work differently, the image of her being carried in those big, strong, well-defined arms, held close to those chiseled abs.

'No! Bad Ruby! Bad! Stop thinking of him like that!' Ruby mentally chided herself with a flushed face. Why was she thinking of such things?!

She glanced over at Nico, whose face was void of any emotion, though she could tell that he didn't like being here.

If his clenched fists and scowling expression mean anything, he looked like he wanted nothing more than to tear down the entire forest.

"Yes, students," Glynda said, bringing everyone's attention to her. "The Forest of Forever Fall is indeed beautiful. But we are not here to sight-see. Professor Peach asked all of you to collect samples from the trees deep inside the forest. And I'm here to make sure than none of you die while doing so."

"And I'm here to do the same, as well as lighten the atmosphere!" An upbeat, male voice chirped. Glynda's eye twitched as Eden facepalmed.

"Here we go..." He sighed.

Beside Glynda was none-other than Maes Hughes, armed with a gun at his side, and a jovial grin. Jaune couldn't help but chuckle as he scratched the back of his head, noting how lively the man seemed before he looked over his shoulder, noticing Cardin and his team. The heavily-armored man had his arm cast into a sling, and dark rings around his eyes. When the two made eye contact, the man suddenly backed away, eyes wide with fright.

'Good grief, Nico wasn't kidding.' the knight thought, both in slight terror and amazement. 'Cardin looks like he's ready to bolt at a moment's notice!'

He was both impressed and disturbed by his friend's actions. While he was glad that Cardin was no longer bullying him, he was worried for the Berserker.

"Each of you is to gather one jar's worth of red sap." For emphasis, she held up a jar containing the fluid in question.

"But, don't think that this forest is safe." Hughes said. "This place is also home to the Creatures of Grimm, so be sure to stay with your teammates!"

Teams LNCE, RWBY, and JNPR nodded. Nico on the other hand scowled as he looked away. He didn't need to be told that. He knew this better than anyone. Wordlessly, he grabbed his glass jar and went over to a tree.

"We'll rendezvous back here at four o'clock." the man said as he waved at them. "Have fun, kids!"

The students nodded as they went to work. Ruby, on the other hand, simply stared in the direction where Nico walked off too.

"Are you worried about him?" Eden asked as he appeared next to her.

The girl squeaked. "E-Eden!" she yelped in surprise, panting with her heart racing. "D-don't... don't do that!"

"Sorry." he apologized. "So, you think he's gonna hold up? Being here doesn't exactly have good memories."

"I...I don't know. I've never seen him so...angry before..." She admitted.

As they spoke, Nico was glaring at the very tree he was gathering sap from.

Eden sighed. "Yeesh, with a glare like that, he could start a forest fire." he remarked before looking to Ruby. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

"Wh-what do you mean?" she asked.

"It's obvious you're worried about him. Just go talk to him."

Ruby glance back at Nico. "B-but how?" she asked nervously. "I-I mean, he looks ready to punch something."

"Well then, guess you're gonna have to be his corkscrew." Eden said with a smirk as he put his hands on her back. Her eyes widened, realizing what he was going to do. "Now, come on! Get going!"

"W-wait!"

Too late. Eden shoved her forward, causing her to stumble and nearly fall flat on her face. Her scrambled steps caused her trip, and land on Eden's back. Her face blew up, realizing that she had wrapped her arms around his waist, getting a feel for his body. Nico, however, dropped the scowl as he looked over his shoulder. "Ruby?"

"S-SORRY!" she squeaked, leaping off of him. "I-I'm really sorry! I just tripped on something, so I was trying to find something to hold on to, a-and well you were right there, s-so I grabbed onto you! And, omigod, that sounds really, really perverted when I put like that, I cannot believe I just said that, I am so sorry!"

"It's fine..." he assured her. "You just surprised me."

"B-but-but!"

Nico smiled somewhat, his scowl gone slightly, as he waved it off. "Really, it's fine, Ruby." The rosette pouted somewhat before she noticed that his jar had a slight crack around it. Her eyes softened in concern. This look did not go unnoticed, as Nico cocked his head. "Ruby?"

"...being here doesn't bring up much happy memories, does it?"

Nico frowned. "...No...no it does not..."

"Did you... want to go elsewhere?" the little reaper asked. "I-I mean, if we tell the teachers you feel uneasy being here, they can let you go."

"It's fine, Ruby." he told her. "Besides, it's a school assignment, so I don't have much choice."

He brought up his half-filled jar of sap and begun to fill it up.

"H-hey, um..." Ruby said, but her words died in her throat. What was she going to say? She wanted to get to know Nico better, but she was unsure of how to actually approach the subject. How should she ask him? "W-w-would you mind if..."

"Mind if what...?" Nico raised a brow.

"D-d-do you mind if I...I...!"

'C'mon, Ruby! You can do this! No chickening out!'

She has to do this! She has to!

"If I... If I... C-Come with you?!"

"Uh…Sure?"

Nico was utterly confused by Ruby's sudden demand. Her face was red, looked to be incredibly nervous... What was going on with her? Did she have some sort of fever? Moreover, what could she be so nervous about?

Oh well, not that he minded. In fact, he could use the company. It could keep away the dark thoughts he was troubled with earlier...

However, unbeknownst to the Berserker, a pair of dark red eyes watched him afar, perched from above a nearby tree, well hidden by the dark red leaves.

"...I've found you, Young Master..."

XXXXXXXXX

"Hm?" Weiss frowned as she noticed the missing presence of RWBY's team leader. "Hey, guys? Where's Ruby?"

"Dunno." Yang shrugged. "For all we know, she could be with Nico."

"That seems like a strong possibility." Ludger agreed. The rest of the teams were gathering tree sap in a clearing not too far away. Although...Nora and Cielo kept emptying their jars of sap by consuming them, much to their chagrin.

"...Nora," Ren deadpanned. "Can you please stop eating the sap?"

"You too, Cielo." Ludger requested politely.

The two girls immediately pouted in unison. "Awww~"

Blake sighed, shaking her head before turning to find CRDL still gathering their sap. While the rest of his team looked ready to pounce on them for whatever reason, Cardin was definitely not willing to do anything. "Whatever Nico did, he's made his point across." the girl said with a disturbed tone in her voice. "Though, seeing Cardin so scared... I have to admit, it's still throwing me for a loop."

"You and me both." Weiss nodded, before her eyes narrowed into a glare at Eden. "Though, personally, I believe a certain SOMEONE here has been a bad influence!"

"Hey! I'm a good influence!...some of the time. I'm just glad Cardin finally knows his place."

"A good influence," Weiss growled. "Wouldn't have been so crass and vulgar, and willing to actually kill someone, much less publicly humiliate them!"

"Oh, come on, Ice Queen~" Eden grinned widely. "You know you loved seeing Cardin knocked down a peg."

Weiss bit her tongue. While she admitted that the bully deserved it, she wasn't gong to give him the satisfaction of being right. And dammit all, what was with that infernal nickname?! She really didn't understand why people are putting such a label on her! It was so infuriating! Sure, she was an heiress, but this was completely uncalled for! Besides, she wasn't that bad!

...right?

"...hey, Yang?" Cielo called out as she set down her empty jar of sap after having consumed it, to her team's annoyance. "Can I ask you something?"

"What is it, short stuff?"

"Are you and Eden like besties?" the girl inquired, causing the brawler to raise an eyebrow. "I was sleep walking and I heard Eden say something like blondes and breaking bones?"

Yang's face flushed upon remembering what transpired the other night. She was used to being the one who teased others, not the other way around. She was more than willing to admit that Eden was quite cute, if not roguishly handsome when compared to the other boys she's encountered in her life. They were just passing flings, simple curiosity, but they had progressed no further than that. Half the time, they were either too timid or too arrogant for her liking, used her like some kind of trophy, or were just dating her for the sole interest of her body.

She wasn't quite sure where Eden stood, but she could tell that he wasn't the type be interested in her for her body, or simply use her as a trophy. Actually, now that she thought about it, she didn't know much about him at all, other than that he was Maes Hughes' son. And that's a fact that struck off to her. He said that his name was Eden Flaemis, yet his father is named Maes Hughes. Why were their names different?

Perhaps he was adopted, or maybe he was like Ruby, and took on the name of his birth mother? She wasn't going to pry about his past, but she couldn't help but feel curious.

"Heeeeelloooooo~" Yang returned to reality, and noticed Cielo waving her hand in front of her face. "Earth to blondie~!"

"Oh, sorry." she apologized, smiling sheepishly as she scratched her cheek. "Just got to thinking... It's nothing at all. And I suppose Eden and I are good friends..." She then wiggled her eyebrows. "And I'd like to get to know him a bit better... But, I'm fine with just being friends."

This comment went completely over the bluenette's head as she cocked it to the side, her eyes white ovals and her mouth open with a finger at her cheek. "...ara?"

XXXXXXXXXX

"So, what's Celty like?" Ruby asked as she gathered sap from a tree. "Oh, um, if you don't mind me asking!"

"No, it's fine..." Nico waved it off. "It's understandable that you are curious, since I don't really talk about her. But I don't mind at all." Both teens had ventured further into the woods. Not too far away from the rest of the students and staff, but enough to make sure that there would be no eavesdroppers.

"S-so..." Ruby nodded, now relieved. "What is she like?"

Nico chuckled. "To put it bluntly? Try to imagine Nora, only bed ridden."

Ruby tilted her head at the description. A thought bubble manifesting above her head showing an equation of Nora plus a bed equaling an excited Nora smiling in bed. "So...she's hyper, but stuck in bed?"

"Essentially." He nodded. "She is always a bundle of energy. But due to her illness, she doesn't exactly have much freedom for her actions."

"Ah."

"My father... Kiritsugu, he's a rather empathetic man when you meet him." he explained. "He knew that I was from the Bodaveg, as he used to work under them for a time, since he's a freelancer. Despite that, he took us, when he saw how much of a bad shape we were in."

The little reaper grew curious. "Freelancer?" she asked. "So, he's self-employed?"

Nico nodded. "Yeah." He gestured to the wide variety of markings spread all across his body. "These marks you see? Every Bodaveg has them. It's sort of a hereditary Semblance, passed down from person to person in my family, though it's power and shape is unique for every person. For me, I can push my body to the limit, though I can't stay like that for too long." His face contorted with shame. He remembered back when he and his father trained together shortly after he was brought into a new life, one his sister could enjoy. His hands shook, recalling the vivid memory with slight disgust and horror. "I... can get pretty scary."

Ruby didn't pry any further than that. Instead, she moved on. "So... What's Kiritsugu like?"

"He's a great man..." Nico replied, breaking away from his scowl. "He was kind, compassionate, everything that those bastards aren't..." He added, referring to his birth parents. "He trained me into becoming a better fighter and not a weapon, gave me a proper education, and taught me one important thing that I live my life by..."

"What's...that?" Ruby asked.

Nico smiled widely. "The best way to live is to act on one's emotions"

Ruby didn't seem to understand this, as she cocked her head. "What does that mean?"

"It doesn't mean much to other people..." he confessed, still smiling. "But, for someone like me, it's that, even if you are a weapon, if you follow what your heart tells you, you will truly be a living thing, rather than some tool." He held his hand close to his chest, remembering the day Kiritsugu spoke those words to him. It was his most cherished memory, something he remembered even to this very day so vividly, it were almost as if he was reliving the past. When he heard his father spoke those words, he felt... liberated. As if he had finally found the peace he sought. He felt as if he had reached enlightenment, that someone had told him that he, perhaps he was a weapon, but he was something that held a heart he could act on.

Ruby smiled as well, seeing his peaceful expression. "Nico..."

"...what rubbish." A new voice cut into the touching moment. Ruby was confused while Nico's eyes widened as his hands balled into tight fists. He knew that voice. How could he forget it? His eyes darted around the branches overhead, trying to discern where the voice came from. Finally, he saw it; the humanoid shadow hidden in the leaves in the tree on the right.

"Show yourself! Demon Fist!" Dropping his jar of sap, Nico shot out a blast of energy from his fist at the hidden figure. The shadow jumped out of the way just before the impact and moved through the branches like an acrobat. He finally landed on a branch that was clear of leaves, leaving him wide open to be seen by the two teenagers.

"Impressive. To be able to discern my location and firing a basic arte packed with enough power to cause extensive damage. You truly have improved...young master..." The figure spoke.

Nico's face contorted with rage. "You... Why are you here?!" he demanded. "Answer me, Talon!"

The figure before them was a man in his late forties, his hair dark brown and shaggy, reaching down to the shoulder blades, and sporting heavy facial hair that encompassed his chin, while becoming lighter at the upper lip. His cheeks were sunken, and dark rings were below his eyes, which were dark red, and seemed to have a sharp, almost penetrating gaze to them. He was garbed in a worn brown trench coat, tears visible at the hem and at the cuffs, and underneath, he wore a dark green hoodie, coupled with a black dress shirt underneath, and leather jeans with black combat boots bearing studded straps. The defining feature about him was his hands; they were armored, with the fingertips sharpened, almost like the talons of a hawk.

"I believe you are aware of that answer, young master..." the man said, his voice deep and aged. "I have come to take you home... Where you belong."

"You're wrong!" Nico snapped angrily as he flung his arm across his body. "I'm never going back to that hellhole! Those bastards can go die for all I care!"

The man known as Talon shook his head. "I am afraid you have little choice in the matter," he informed the young teen. "My orders are clear. I am to bring you back..." Suddenly, his eyes narrowed, and his pupils developed into sharp slits as he fell into a stance. "Even if I am to break every bone in your body."

"Then go ahead and try." Nico fell into a stance of his own. "I'd rather die than go back!"

"Yeah!" Ruby spoke up, surprising Nico as she took out Crescent Rose, unfurling it into its scythe form, and falling into a stance. Talon only now noticed her presence, and narrowed his eyes on her. "Nico's finally having the life he wants for himself and Celty! Why are you trying to take that away from him!"

"...silver eyes..." the man murmured, his frowning growing. "I know only one other Huntsman with such eyes... Would I be correct in assuming that you are the daughter of Summer Rose?"

This struck a chord within Ruby. "You...knew my mother?!"

"Yes." the man nodded.

"Any man who can fight worth his salts knows about her. She was a talented Huntress, second only to a master scythe wielder called Qrow. We had fought once, and I knew how powerful she was. She is someone who holds my dearest respect." His face hardened. "However... Simply because you are her daughter does not mean I shall show you no mercy if you interfere. My orders are to return the young master to his family, and any who stand in my way shall be eliminated."

Nico grimaced at that. He should have known that his parents would give him such orders. 'This is bad...' he thought. 'If we fight here, we might attract Grimm... I can handle them fine, and to someone like Talon, it's child's play, but if Ruby were to get caught in the cross fire...'

"Ruby," he whispered to his friend. "When I give you the signal... Run."

"...What?" Ruby looked at him as if he grew a second head.

"You heard me." Nico repeated. "I want you to run away as soon as I tell you."

"But Nico! I can help!" She insisted.

The berserker shook his head in a grave manner. "Talon is not the type of opponent you can just fight, Ruby. He is on a completely different level than the opponents we faced thus far."

"B-but!"

"This isn't up for debate, Ruby! I know you've fought someone like Torchwick and beat a Nevermore, but Talon's different." Nico told her. "In all the battles he has fought in... In all the spars we've had, he has never lost a single battle. He is the Bodaveg family's personal retainer. He's known as the Hawk's Talon because once he has found his prey; he will never let them escape." He scowled. "I've even heard he had defeated 100 men all by himself."

"An exaggeration," Talon stated, startling the two. "Defeating 100 men may be a feat, but only if they possess some actual skill. They had none." His eyes shifted to Ruby, who froze underneath his gaze. "I dislike killing children... but if you intend to interfere, I will not hesitate to kill you."

Ruby glared back at him, and cocked the hammer back on her rifle. "No way..." she stated, her voice showing no signs of backing down. "Nico is someone I care about... And I'm not about to let you take him!"

"Ruby!" Nico protested, pleading for her to go. "You need to go!"

"No way! I'm stating!"

"Don't be a stubborn idiot! You can't win against him!"

"And like you can?!" she shot back. "You said it yourself! You've never beaten him!"

"Maybe not...but I can at least stall for time until you make it away safely." he answered. "And like I said...I'd rather die than go back to those bastards."

"But Nico!"

"Are you done, young master?" Talon interrupted. "If so... Allow me to take the initiative! DEMON FIST!"

The Bodaveg retainer snapped his arm back before flinging it forward, a sharp burst of energy tore along the ground straight towards the two teenagers.

Ruby used her Semblance to get out of the way while Nico used the same art only aimed at the ground beneath his feet, knocking him into the air.

The opposing Demon Fist skidded harmlessly beneath his feet. It crashed into the tree that used to be behind him and shattered it to splinters.

Ruby's eyes widened. "N-no way..." she gaped in shock. "Just from a Base Arte?!"

Nico scowled. "Even with my Semblance, my own Arte can't obliterate a tree in a single strike..." he muttered under his breath before turning his attention to Falcon, who had his eyes trained on him. "However, I won't go down!" He brought both arms back as the tattoos along his body began to glow. "BEAST!"

He thrust both arms forward, creating a mass of mana in the form of a spectral beast's head. The burst of energy hurled toward Talon, who maintained a mask of indifference.

"…Cerberus Strike."

Talon lashed out his fist, dispersing the approaching arte. He then disappeared into a blur, reappearing before Nico. While the teen was startled by his swift movement, he struck out another fist across his face, then adding a final strike to his stomach, forcing the air from his lungs. He was flung back from the force of the punch, crashing through a tree.

"Nico!" Ruby cried out. Her eyes widened. "Oh no you don't!" She shot forward, using her Crescent Rose to shoot forward. "Dancing Scythe Mayhem!"

She raised her weapon and used the momentum of the gunshot to spin wildly. The surrounding foliage was cut to miniscule pieces as she advanced to strike Talon.

However, he easily intercepted it, catching the blade with easy. "You should have run when you had the chance." he said with regret, shaking his head. "Such a shame... If only you had escaped when the young master told you, you would have-"

"Bloom Blast!"

Suddenly, the muzzle of Crescent Rose began to glow. Talon's eyes narrowed, and in the next second, Ruby pulled the trigger, firing off an explosive blast. The power behind it created a dust cloud that danced all around them, though the retainer danced through the air, leaping out of it before landing atop one of the branches, completely unscathed.

"I told you before..." Ruby said, a determined gaze in her eyes. "I'm not going to let you take Nico back!"

"R-Ruby..." Nico coughed as he struggled to stand. His vision was still blurred and he had difficulty breathing from Talon's attacks. But he wouldn't fall here. He had so much riding on this.

He gritted his teeth as he forced himself up, his fingers digging into the bark of the trees around him. "I... don't have a choice." he muttered. "I can't let... Ruby..." The runes on his body began to glow fiercer. His gold eyes began to develop specks of red. "I hate using this blood of mine..." he wheezed. "B-but... If... If it's to protect someone close to me...!" His fingers broke the wood in his hands as the tattoos seemed to be burning. His irises flushed away the gold in them, replacing it all with a bloody red. A black aura seemed to manifest all over his body. "Then I have no qualms!"

His tattoos glowed an almost blackened red, and his heart became overcome with utter rage.

His head snapped up toward Talon, who immediately noticed the change in the air. He looked down and his eyes widened upon seeing the new form Nico had adopted.

"What?!"

"DEMON'S HOWL!"

Nico thrust a hand towards Talon. A massive blast of power exploded from his palm. It tore through the air, bearing the visage of a raging demon.

The Bodaveg retainer frowned and reared his arm back. "Beast!" he roared, throwing his fists forward, creating the visage of a raging lion. It clashed with the head of the demon, creating a shockwave. Ruby was nearly thrown off of her feet, keeping in place with her weapon stabbed in the ground. "To think the young master would force his Semblance this far..." Talon's expression twisted into a scowl. "What is he thinking?!"

To his surprise, Nico was already in front of him. However, his form had changed, as the dark aura surrounding him had grown quite thick, obscuring his form heavily, and was given an eerie visage with the dark, red glowing markings on his body, and his red eyes glowing like fire. "DIE!"

He threw a right hook at terrifying speed. Talon barely managed to react in time. He ducked underneath the blot and dropped from the branch he stood on. The fist continued and impacted the trunk of the tree, blowing the spot he struck to splinters.

"Rising Falcon!" Talon cried, delivering a powerful uppercut to Nico's chin. The berserker was thrown upward, but was sent down to the ground when he rammed his heel into Nico's jaw.

His body impacted the earth beneath them, causing it to cave in with numerous cracks spanning the impact radius. The Bodaveg retainer jumped off of his wards face.

However, not a second sooner did Nico spring up to his feet, his hand buried deep into the ground as he whipped his own heel straight into Talon's ribs, following up with another kick, this time to the face, only for him to defend with his hand, grabbing Nico by the ankle, and tossing him aside. The teen landed on a tree, bouncing off of it and breaking away all of the bark on it's body, and launched forward, his head ramming straight into Talon's abdomen, and sending him flying, breaking through several trees, and was sent ramming straight into a giant boulder, causing it to break apart, and the shards, sent flying.

"Guh!" The assassin grunted. If it weren't for his aura and the armor he wore underneath his clothes, he would've broken his back from the landing. He pulled himself out of the debris...only to be greeted by the appearance of his master aiming another punch to his face.

"BRUTAL FANG!" Nico roared in a malicious voice.

The power behind the Arte was brutal. After all, it was several punches thrown in rapid succession. The force was enough to send a shock past Talon, though he himself was thrown further back, tumbling through the ground before he came to a stop, fingers digging into the ground to halt his retreat. Sweat caked his forehead as he wiped away some blood dribbling from his mouth with his thumb. "Impressive, young master..." he said as he stood to his feet. "You have learned to hone your Semblance well..."

A regretful look passed through his face.

"Yet, I'm afraid you're time is up."

At that moment, Nico's body erupted in pain, the dark aura dispersed, and blood gushed from his mouth. The red in his irises faded until they returned to their smoky topaz color. The glow emanating from his tattoos died down until they were dull and black once more. "Guh...GRAGH!" Nico howled in agony as blood began to pour out from his eyes, ears, and nose.

Ruby's eyes widened in horror. "NICO!" she cried, dropping Crescent Rose and running toward him. Just as he was about to fall to the ground, she caught him. She became even more panicked when she felt his body shiver, his skin ice cold. Her eyes narrowed into a glare, and a snarl ripped from her throat. "What did you do to him?!"

"I have done nothing." Talon stated coolly as he dusted off his clothes. He gave himself a once over to make sure all the dust was clear before continuing. "The young master did it to himself."

"What?! What do you mean?!" She demanded.

"It's his semblance." Talon then begun to walk around her, all the while explaining. "You see, the young master has already told you of the Bodaveg's hereditary semblance...the semblance of Berserker, has he not? Every Bodaveg's Semblance is the same, but its aspects vary. In the young master's case, he can heighten his aura and physical prowess to uncharted heights. He becomes so focused on his enemy that he becomes uncaring of his own being and his surroundings; a true behemoth of rage." He stopped just short of them, bringing up his hands. His clawed hands extended, glistening in the light. "Remember, child of Summer Rose... You brought this upon yourself."

Ruby's eyes widened in horror, realizing what the man was about to do as he reared his arm back, fingers poised.

"Now... Peri-!"

"Punishing Light!"

"Dancing Ruin!"

Suddenly, two attacks emerged from nowhere, striking Talon dead-on. One attack was a blast of light that exploded as soon as it struck him, while the second was debris thrashing up against his body at high speeds. Were it not for his Aura, he doubted that he would have survived the attack, but the force behind them was enough to throw him aside, only to recover mid-air, landing on the ground. He lifted his head up, and scowled, seeing two figures standing there with their weapons poised.

"...Well, if it isn't the Witch of Beacon and the Horseman."

Glynda Goodwitch and Maes Hughes glared at the man before them. They recognized him. There was no mistaking those clawed gauntlets.

"And just what brings the Hawk of the Bodavegs to this neck of the woods?" The Horseman of Famine questioned as he kept his gun trained on him.

The retainer dusted his clothes off as he stood to full height. "I am here to take back the young master." he stated, glaring at the two with hostility. "Get in my way, and I will not hesitate to crush you both."

"Think you can take us both on?" Hughes dared. "Glynda may not look it, but she's had her fair share of battles, and considering you know my title..." With his free hand, he pushed up his glasses. "Then you ought to know what's going to happen."

"I care little." Talon rebuked, falling back into his own stance. "Stand aside!"

The man chuckled. "Yeah, no thanks." he said with a smirk. "Besides... If you've been observing Nico all of this time, then you ought to know who's in Forever Fall..." His smirk grew further as he looked at who was behind Talon, blade at the ready. "And just who exactly his partner is."

Talon immediately knew the look on the teacher's face, and looked over his shoulder just in time to see the face of Eden Flaemis, bearing down on him with a flaming blue blade.

"Pyre Sword Parade!" he announced the name of his Arte. The retainer immediately went to grab the blade, but no sooner did he did had the flames around the sword implode directly in his face.

"Gruagh!" He yelped as he scrambled back. He clutched his face with his other hand, still feeling the searing pain. He then took note of the pain coming from his other hand. He opened his hand and examined it with his exposed eye, which widened upon seeing the gashes present on his palm and fingers. They went straight through the metal of his gauntlets. Blood dripped through his fingers and onto the red earth. He...he cut through his aura and gauntlets? That was impossible! No arte could do such a thing so easily! No weapon could...wait a minute...there...there WAS one thing...Talon looked up at the blue haired teen, his eyes trained on the unsheathed sword. Every so often, he saw a crackle of electricity along the blade. That was then he realized it. "That sword...It is a High-Frequency Blade, isn't it?"

The infamous mercenary's eyes became dark, and for a moment, his eyes burned dark purple. "...a word of warning to you, ya freak." he said, his voice cold and seething. "Any who lay eyes on this blade...has a date with their maker."

"I see..." Talon stood up straight, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. "That sword...those flames...those eyes...So you must be the Blue Devil..."

His eyes shifted to the corner of his field of vision. Standing on either side of Ruby and Nico were two people. One of them was Ludger, and the other was Yang. The former had already brought out his dual blades, Law and Trial, and held them in an underhand grip. The latter had Ember Celica transformed and ready. Both sported intense glares at the Bodaveg retainer.

"...very well." He closed his eyes as he stepped back into the shadows. "I shall retreat... for now." He then glared at Hughes and Glynda. "However, I will take back the young master... One way, or another."

With that, he jumped high into the trees. Despite the rustling and falling of the red leaves, there was no sound. Eden reluctantly sheathed his blade into its holster, glaring at where the retainer vanished. "Bastard," he growled. "If he goes anywhere near Nico, I'm gonna burn him to a fucking crisp!"

"You should count yourself lucky you've got that sword of ours, Eden my boy." Hughes said, holstering his pistol. "Talon's not like those White Fang punks you've been fighting. He's had quite a bit of experience, and he's far deadlier than you'd think." His eyes narrowed as he adjusted his glasses, turning to where the assailant vanished. "Still, for him to appear here... I suppose it was only a matter of time before those Bodaveg pricks finally got tired of their child's rebellious attitude." He then faced Glynda, who was checking up on Nico. "How is he, Glynda?"

"It's pretty bad, Maes." The blonde shook her head. "His body is suffering from aura exhaustion and extreme fatigue. His body is going into shock from the state he was in before."

Ruby, who was still holding onto Nico, almost as if acting like some sort of lifeline, looked at Glynda with tears in her eyes, wet streams flowing down her face. "H-he's going to be okay, r-right?" she pleaded. "P-please say he's gonna be okay!"

"We'll do what we can, Ruby." Hughes told her as he took out his Scroll. He immediately began to dial for an ambulance, while Nico remained unconscious in the little girl's arms. She couldn't help but feel so useless in her fight with Talon. She knew how weak she was, that she didn't stand a chance against Talon, but all she could think about was trying to help him. She didn't understand why someone from his old life was trying to take him back. Couldn't he understand that his 'young master' didn't want to go back? How could he be so heartless?! Nico was fine with his life! For the first time, he was happy!

So why?! Why was he trying to ruin his happiness?!

"He's gonna be okay, Ruby." Yang said as she knelt down, holding her sister for emotional support. "I promise, he's going to be okay."

Internally, however, she was both worried for her sister, and angry. Worried that she might once again suffer the heartbreak of losing someone precious again, and angry over the fact that she wasn't there to try and protect her. If it wasn't for Nico, chances were, she'd be dead. 'Dammit...' she cursed herself. 'How can I be so weak...?' She let out a mental cry of bitterness. 'Hah, it's just like back then...isn't it?

XXXXXXXXXX

Elsewhere, somewhere deeper in Forever Fall, Talon rested against a tree, wrapping bandage gauze around his hand. "To think that both the Horseman of Famine and the Blue Devil would be there." he muttered under his breath, tightening the grip on the bandages, and ignoring the flares of pain in his wounds. "It would seem as if the young master has found some capable allies." His eyes then softened, recalling the girl with the scythe from earlier. "And to think I would encounter that woman's child here as well..." A bitter smile crossed his face. "How odd fate works."

He turned his head slightly to the side, to the figure leaning against the tree not far from him.

"Wouldn't you agree... Emiya?"

The figure turned his head to look at him, revealing his vacant, black eyes. He had messy black hair that seemed to jut out everywhere. He was dressed in a black suit and trench coat. His expression remained blank.

"...you screwed up."

The man stated bluntly.

"...I know..." Talon admitted.

Screw up was a mild word in his opinion. His mission had gone awry when Hughes and Goodwitch appeared, as well as the appearance of the demon known as Eden Flaemis. Truly, the boy lived up to his reputation. "The young master has found capable allies..." Talon stated once again. "Although, he has yet to fully realize his true potential."

Kiritsugu Emiya said nothing. Instead, he pulled out a cigarette from his breast pocket, and took a light from his pocket, bringing it up to the cancer stick, and lighting it as the flame danced around the butt.

"...You know..." Talon started as he dropped his hands. "Those things will definitely kill you."

Again, Kiritsugu remained silent as he puffed the cigarette, letting the nicotine flood into his system. Once he had his fill, he exhaled a plume of smoke.

After a while, Talon chuckled. "Then again, I suppose after everything you've done, death might seem like paradise to you."

"...maybe," the man shrugged. "But if I died now, Celty and Nico would have my head on a platter." A wry smile formed on his face. "Hell, Nico would drag my ass out of hell, just so he could kill me himself for leaving them behind."

"Haha...That definitely sounds like something the young master would do..." The man mused.

In truth, he was glad to see that the boy was doing well. His skills were sharpened, and he carried the resolve he needed...but the real question was; could he uphold that resolve?

That was something he would have to test, if the young master was serious about continuing this life.

XXXXXXXXXX

Team's RWBY, JNPR, and LNCE all hung around near the entrance to Nico's room, awaiting the news from the doctors who were looking after Nico. He had been administered several hours ago, and he was only just recently released from ICU, and placed into a room where he could recuperate. Ruby was sitting by the bench next to his room, her legs curled up to her chest, and her head against her knees. Blake was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest, a worried expression on her face. Weiss sat beside Ruby, trying to comfort her as she patted the girl gently on the shoulder. Nora, for the first time, lacked her usual grin and cheerfulness, and was instead looking heavily concerned, as was Ren as he stared at the door, waiting for the doctor to give them the news. Jaune was pacing around, anxious, while Pyrrha sat on the bench opposite of Ruby. Neo and Cielo were waiting right by the door, the tri-colored girl looking concerned, as was the bluenette, who held a sad, depressed face. Ludger was sitting on the floor, one knee at his chest while he glared at his hand.

"If only we had gotten there sooner..." he muttered angrily before his hand curled into a fist, and slammed it on the wall behind him. "Damn!"

From afar, Yang watched the group, staring mostly at her younger sister with worry, leaning against the wall. "You know, you should be there for her." Eden said, walking up from behind her. "She needs her sister."

The brawler smiled sadly. "Already tried," she said, depressed. "Ruby hasn't said so much as a worse since Nico was sent to ICU."

"...I see..." Eden nodded lightly.

"What about you?" Yang questioned back.

"What do you mean?"

"Aren't you worried about Nico?"

The blue-haired male shrugged. "He's a tough nut to crack, so I'm not too worried about him." he said before his eyes became cold. "However, when I find that Talon guy, I'm running him through. I don't care what anyone says. You mess with one of my friends, and you have a date with the Grim Reaper."

Yang involuntarily flinched from the sheer malice in his voice. But she soon relaxed, realizing that he was just as concerned with his friends as any of them. "...I thought you were called the Blue Devil." she said half-jokingly, giving a teasing grin.

"Same difference." He shrugged. "But I'll be damned if I lose another friend..."

Yang frowned when she heard this. "Another?"

The boy smiled sadly. "You ever heard about Mountain Glenn?"

"Yeah. It was an extension of Vale...until it was overrun by Grimm and fenced off from the rest of the city..."

"That's right." He nodded somberly. "Grimm attacks occurred due to the settlement's lack of natural barriers like Vale. However, it was not always like that. In the beginning, the people residing there actually led peaceful lives." His smile became slightly more cheery. "I don't really remember much from back then, but what I do remember...is that my life was dull as hell." Yang's eyes widened at this as she looked at him in shock. "I remember having this friend, though... She was a Faunus, and she was beautiful. Everyone picked on her because of her horns, though. Some of the more religious assholes called her a devil." He couldn't help but laugh. "But then my birth father came around and burned them at the ass. That's really the only happy memory I have back then."

"Eden, y-you..."

Then, his eyes lost their light, and his smile fell. "...and then came the day when the settlement was overrun with Grimm."

He could still remember it all vividly. The screams. The cries. The burning air. The sounds of conflict...the maniac laughter. It was the day where his entire life was turned upside down. "Many of the Huntsmen stationed there, including my dad, did their best to hold them all back. But in the end, they were being picked off one by one. The scary part? It wasn't a Grimm that killed them..."

"Then...what did...?"

"It was a man. A single person. For some strange reason, it seemed as if the Grimm were being LED by him. He brought the horde into the city and let them run wild, slaughtering countless innocents. I grabbed my friend and ran for safety. We tried to go underground like the rest of the civilians who managed to escape. We made it...but when we got there...everyone underground was already dead."

Yang's eyes widened in horror, listening to Eden's story.

"They all lied on the ground, unmoving. Some remained in one piece but with multiple gashes, others were unrecognizable, sliced to countless pieces." He pressed a hand to his face. "I don't remember what happened after that... Part of me is glad that I don't."

"Eden..." Yang spoke softly.

"But when I came to...they were all gone." He shook his head. "Everyone I knew, my Mom, my Dad...my best friend, Mary...all gone...All I had on me were my dad's sword, an old photograph, the clothes on my back..." He slipped a hand to his pocket. "...and this..." He pulled an item out. It appeared to have been a charm of some sort.

It resembled a blue, crystalline pendant, however inside of it was a dancing, bright flame, almost as if there was something inside of it.

"Is that...?"

"Mary made it for me." Eden nodded. "I have no idea how, but she managed to make something like this. I've kept it with my ever since."

A small smile formed across his face. "This is the only thing that I have left of her. Along with what I have left of my family..."

Yang's eyes softened, her eyes softening as she looked back at Ruby. Memories passed through her mind, days from happier times. Her eyes turned back to Eden as he slipped back into her pocket. "...you know, you're not the only one who lost someone." The boy looked up to her. "You remember how I told that Ruby and I are half-sisters?" she asked, earning a nod. "I never got to know my birth mother. She just... disappeared. Despite that, Summer raise me like I was really her daughter. She was like super mom, and she made AWESOME cookies." She grinned. "I think you would have liked her."

"...What happened to her?" he questioned tentatively. He noticed how she referred to Summer in the past tense, meaning something happened.

"...I don't know." Yang confessed, shaking her head mournfully. "That's the thing. We have no idea what happened. The only thing we actually found was her cloak, and her weapon."

"Really?"

Yang nodded. "Yeah... It was really bad for us, Dad most of all."

"I can imagine that..." Eden nodded with sympathy. To lose two loves in a short span of time...that'd be enough to shatter anyone.

"It was hard on me and Ruby both." the brawler said as she slid down to the floor, curling her legs close to her chest. A sad smile formed across her lips. "There was this one time I found a picture of my mother, so I tried looking for her. I took Ruby with me, since I couldn't leave her at the house all alone." Her face contorted with remorse. "But when I thought I had found a lead... All I found was Grimm. Uncle Qrow had been tailing us since then, and saved us both. Ruby probably doesn't know about it because she was asleep when I took her with us, but... I kept asking myself; what if Uncle Qrow hadn't been there? What if Ruby got hurt because of me." She looked back at Eden, her eyes steely. "That's when I made up my mind... That I wouldn't let my search for her control me."

"...I see." The blue haired boy nodded. "You're still resolved to find your mother, but refuse to let it control your life. That is a good decision." He slid down to the floor and took a seat next to her. "At least you have something to search for...I have nothing."

"I don't think so." Yang shook her head, earning a frown in confusion. "I mean, you have Nico, Neo, Cielo, Ludger, and us, right? Maybe something you've been looking for without realizing it is right there in front of you."

The boy raised an eyebrow. "...that doesn't even make sense, Yang." he deadpanned before smiling sheepishly. "But, hey... Maybe your right."

"Of course I am!" the girl said proudly. "Oh, and one more thing."

"Hm?"

She leaned over, whispering in his ear. "...I have a thing for boys who like to light things up, if you catch me drift~"

Eden's eyes widened upon hearing those words. But his lips curled into a small grin. "Well, if that's the case..." He reached inside his jacket and pulled out a plastic bag. Yang saw this and read the words on the package.

"Marshmallows?"

"Watch this." He opened the plastic bag and took out a couple marshmallows. He then held them above his open hand. In the next moment, a small blue flame manifested in his open palm, slowly roasting the marshmallows.

The girl smirked. "And may I ask why you have those with you?"

"Never hurts to be prepared." he shrugged. "Besides... I'm not moving from this spot until Nico walks out of the room."

XXXXXXXXXX

Elsewhere, in a small room, the entire floor was clattered with books and pieces of scrap metal, with the only illumination being a small light at the desk. Sparks soared through the air as a young teen sat at the desk, a pair of welding goggles set over his eyes as he worked on the object in front of him. In one hand was a small electrical tool, which he used to poke at and fix the object. Eventually, he stopped prodding at it, and set the tool aside, taking hold of a small hardware tool, and began to fiddle around with a few of the parts around it. "Okay, adjust the fibering here, and move the limiter there..." the teen mumbled as he worked on the object. Eventually, he stopped as he leaned back, wiping the sweat off his forehead and pulling the goggles up. "And done!" The boy was elated. Finally, after five years, it was finally repaired. It took so long, but he eventually managed to do it. He pulled the object up, and decided to put his hard work to the test. He clicked the small button near the trigger, and the object unfurled.

Now, in his hands, was a dark red scythe.

But that wasn't all. He pressed another button on the handle and a second blade appeared from the back of the original. The difference was that this blade wasn't made of metal or mechanics. Rather, it was bright red and transparent. It was a blade made of Aura.

"Awesome! The secondary blade works! Now, if I can split them..." He begun to fiddle with the head of the weapon, but stopped when he heard clapping from the doorway behind him.

"Man...Not only did you repair that scythe...but you added several upgrades and modifications that it's in a completely different league..." The voice chimed. "Then again, I always knew you had it in you, cuz."

The boy looked over his shoulder, and grinned. "Oh, Yin!" he greeted. "Sorry! I didn't hear you come in!"

The figure walked into the room and out of the shadows that obscured his form. He had curly blonde hair that dropped down to his chin and sapphire colored eyes. He was dressed in a leather jacket with yellow trims and tribal markings with a dark blue v-neck underneath. He also wore a pair of worn out denim jeans and gray sneakers. He had three intersecting belts at his hip, one of them hanging lazily off to the side. Around his left wrist was a dark blue bracer, while a bright yellow bracer encircled his right wrist. "It's fine. I was just dropping by to see how you were doing, Quartz."

"Great!" the teen chirped. "I finally got my mother's weapon back in action, and it's ready for the front lines!"

"Whoa, easy there!" the blonde teen called Yin said, rubbing the boy's head. "No need to get excited." He sighed. "I swear, sometimes I wonder what exactly you inherited from your dad."

"Hey!" Quartz pouted. "I take great offense to that!"

"Whatever~" Yin rolled his eyes. "Anyway, come on. Lune and the others are waiting for us down at the lobby."

"Oh, okay!" The youth nodded. He put the newly forged weapon down and removed his goggles, apron, and gloves. He then zipped over to the other side of the workroom and picked up a red hoodie and black wind breaker that hung off the hooks. He placed them over his white dress shirt, the windbreaker going over the hoodie. He then crouched down and took off the steel toed work boots he wore and replaced them with the black, gothic boots that were against the wall. His clothing blended well with his dark colored jeans.

As he stood up, he glanced over at the image staring back at him in the mirror, revealing the face of a boy, only sixteen, with black and red hair, and a pair of silver eyes. He stared at the small photograph taped at the corner of the mirror, showing a younger version of the boy, accompanied by two people, likely his parents, as they sat beside Quartz, each of them having smiles, and one hand on either shoulder.

"Wish me luck," Quartz whispered. "Mom... Dad..."

With that, he slipped the dual-scythe back to its original state, slipping it into the holster on his hip, and ran over with Yin, the two leaving the door, and closing it behind him.

XXXXXXXXXX

At another place, a young woman looked up at the broken moon above her, the sky painted black with a multitude of stars. The scenery around him was quite beautiful, as it was a cliff that overlooked the ocean, green pasture flowing past her. "...no good, Edna." Someone called out to her from behind. It was a young man with green hair, bearing silver streaks. He was slightly of short stature, standing at 5'5" feet, and had tanned skin. He is wore a black sleeveless shirt revealing his abdomen while wearing a long green trench coat with torn sleeves that ended at his knees, along with gray jeans pulled up above his calves, complete with brown leather boots. To complete the look, he had on fingerless black gloves with metal guards and three intersecting belts at his hip, and a pouch attached to his left leg, along with a necklace carrying the tooth of an Ursa Major. "I've checked out the roads. White Fang's locked it down tight." A sigh escaped him as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Talk about annoying... Just remind me again, whose bright idea was it to jump on this Fractured Dimension without a damned dagger?" Another sigh escaped him. "Damn that Olivia... Why does she keep screwing up?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." The female shook her head, letting her long, black hair sway in the night breeze. She opened her eyes, revealing soft blue irises. A black choker and blue scarf were seen wrapped around her neck. She was dressed in a red jacket over a black thermal shirt and a black skirt with velvet rose patterns, along with black leggings and red shoes. "She always was an impulsive one."

"Yeah, but come on..." the boy whined. "How did she forget the freaking Chrome Dagger of all things? Gels, I can understand, but the DAGGER?"

"Enough, Matt." Edna snapped. "Come on. Let's go."

"Tch! Fine..." The tanned teen drawled. "Doesn't change the fact that we're stuck here. All because of one forgetful teammate!"

"It can't be helped." she responded before looking back at the sky. For a moment, her eyes burned golden, as if a flame was set ablaze in them. "...I really hate the moon on nights like this." she said coldly. "It reminds me of back then."

XXXXXXXXXX

"...Caaaaaaiuuuuuuus!" a young girl's shrill scream echoed. "Waaaaaake uuuuuup!"

"...Mrgh...alright, alright. I'm up already..." A young male's voice grumbled. He sat up from where he slept, rubbing the drowsiness out of his eyes. His hair was long, reaching down to his upper back, even when it was tied up in a ponytail. His hair color was odd...as it was composed of three different colors: Pink, brown, and white. He opened his eyes, revealing them to be bright green with a gold ring around the pupil.

"C'mon, you need to get up faster!" the owner of the scream shouted. It was a little girl with the same eyes as the boy, green with a gold ring. She was wearing a light green blouse that extended past her hips, giving off the semblance of a skirt, and a collared pink jacket over it. She also wore a pair of black leggings with light blue stars beneath it. On her feet were turquoise colored sandals. Her light brown hair was long and tied into twin tails that fell to her hips with yellow clips holding them in place. On top of her head was a black hat with a blue X in the front. She was carrying a yellow back pack with an unusual design: it had two rounded ears and a large, single eye and a smiling mouth with a tongue sticking out as the design on the front. Around the girl's neck was a golden pocket watch.

"Sorry about that, Elle." The teenage male chuckled. "I guess I was more tired than I thought."

"Hmph." The girl pouted.

"...mou..." a voice called out from the other side of the room, hiding underneath the covers of the bed. "...what's with all of the noise...?"

The figure popped their head from beneath the covers, revealing the face of a young girl. She had a light complexion and dark blue hair that seems to curl as it approached her shoulders.

"Sorry, Tico." The man, Caius apologized. "Our dear little sister was just trying to wake me up."

"...oh..." the girl yawned as the covers fell from her body, revealing a black tank top and light blue shorts. "Is it time for breakfast already...?"

"I guess so." The man shrugged as he got out of his own bed.

As they did so, however, Caius paused as he looked out the window of the small room. His eyes bored into the window, as if gazing at something outside of it. "Big bro?" Elle called out, tilting her head. "Is something wrong?"

"...no." he shrugged, turning back to leave. "It's nothing."

 **-Forever Intertwined in the Falls: END-**

 **Next Time: Nico Bodaveg; the Berserker's Plight**


	10. Chapter 10

**Co-Written with Demons Anarchy of Pride. The creator of many fantastic masterpieces such as: Fire Emblem: Eternity Unto Reformation, Code Geass: Lelouch of the R-eset, The Crow: DxD, Highschool, DxD: Shatter Destiny, RWBY's Reaper, Code Geass 00, Fractured Reality, Code Geass: Suzaku of the Counterattack, Devil Survivor: Destiny Rewind, and some of his new projects, such as Lagrange 111: You Are (Not) Alone, Tokyo Ghoul: A Flowered Colored Darker Than Black, Persona 4: The Unseen Truth, Monarch, Kill the Deadly Sin, Code Geass: The Butterfly Effect, DxD: Final, DC Heroes: FORGOTTEN BLOODSTAINED LEGACY, DxD: Nocturne, Project, A Tale of Three Dragons, A Dragon Darker than Black, Code Geass: Kill the Rebellion, RWBY: Colorless Memories, RWBY: Black Rebellion, and more.**

 **I highly recommend you check them all out.**

 **I really appreciate your help, man. Couldn't have done this without ya!**

 **I also recommend a few stories made by another talented fanfic writer, Otaku-Nation666: Warning Letter, Highschool DxD: Destiny's Play, RWBY Riders: Spirits of Legend, Deadly Sin of the Spriggan, RWBY: Within Enlightened Hearts, Tokyo Ghoul: Wishes of an Eyepatch, Fabulae Parcae, RWBY –Apocrypha-, and Tokyo Mirage Sessions: Apocalypse.**

 **I probably should've stated this in chapter One, but better late than never. The OCs Nico and Cielo/Mielo belong to Demons Anarchy of Pride. I own Eden Flaemis.**

 **Neither of us own any of the characters from other series featured in this fic. They belong to their respective creators.**

 **Thank you to all who continue to support this story. Please Read and Review.**

 **Also…..ALL FLAMES CAN JUST BURN IN HELL!... So don't even bother.**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Chapter 8: Nico Bodaveg; The Berserker's Plight.**

Nico Bodaveg stood in the middle of an empty field, a thick mist encompassing the area. His eyes scanned the space around him, narrowing in confusion. 'Where...where am I...?' For a brief moment, he felt confused. He didn't recognize the area, unfamiliar to him, yet strangely, he felt as if he had been here before. However, he didn't remember how he came here. He could have sworn he had been- "Ruby!" Nico's eyes widened, suddenly remembering that he was fighting Talon. He looked around wildly, searching for the silver-eyed girl. "Ruby, where are you?! Ruby?!" But he couldn't find her. Worried sick about her unknown fate, he broke out into a sprint, delving deeper into the mist. "Ruby! Where are you?! Answer me!" He still received only silence. He cursed. Dammit, where was she?! He had to find her, and get her away from Talon! Fast!

 **"...kehehehe...you think you can save her..."**

Nico's feet stopped in his tracks, feet sliding across the ground. His eyes widened as he looked around. "W-what?" he stuttered. That voice...that couldn't have been...

 **"Why should you bother...it isn't as if you have the capability of feeling anything..."**

He scowled heavily, glaring at whatever was veiled behind the mist. "Shut up!"

 **"You are a Bodaveg...If the Grimm are cruel, relentless, and without mercy...then you are worse..."  
**  
"I said shut up dammit!"

 **"Like your family, you rip and tear until it is down..."**

Nico's eyes began to turn red, and his tattoos glowed, softly illuminating the darkness around him. "One more word...and I'll..."

Slowly, the mist began to part. A dark laugh echoed around the area. **"Don't you see..."** the voice said. **"This is who you truly are...not a Huntsman, or human...but a Beast."** Before Nico stood a giant, black creature, easily mistakable for a wolf, bearing slitted eyes that were completely encompassed in red. Its mouth was wide, filled with sharp fangs, and a long tongue. Its breath was hot, blowing against the irritated and enraged boy like a gust of wind. **"Accept it...and this pathetic strife you lead will end..."**

"Never!" Nico snarled. "I will never accept you!"

 **"Oh, you will...you definitely will..."** the being snickered. **"If you don't...then those who you hold dear will be picked off...one. By. One. Especially that little red girl..."**

Nico's eyes turned livid. "That won't happen!" he shouted. "I'll protect her! And my friends!"

 **"An empty promise..."** the black wolf scoffed. Its eyes glowed darkly. **"Accept me, and you can obtain the strength you desire..."** Slowly, it stood up, and began to open its mouth. **"All you have to do..."  
**  
Then, it lunged.  
 **  
"IS LET ME OUT!"**

The Berserker fell into a stance with his legs spread apart and his arms held up and ready. When the beast was within his grasp, Nico let himself tumble backward and used the momentum to throw the monster away from him.

"Go..." he growled, his pupils developing into slits. "AWAAAAAY!"

He flung the beast high into the air. But as it flew, the being tumbled mid-flight and landed on its feet, skidding away from the teen.

 **"Yes! That's it!"** the beast roared with glee. **"Give in to it! Your rage! Your hatred!"**

"Shut up!" Nico roared.

The more he listened to the damned beast, the more the tattoos became darker. His irritation was soon giving into rage. He was going to destroy this damned mutt. He was growing to crush its neck to make sure it wouldn't take. He was going to tear off its limbs to keep it running away from him! He was going to tear out its organs and feed the beast with his own body parts! He was going to-to...!

HE WAS GOING TO-!

"...big...brother..."

"...Eh?" The surging rage from within him ceased. That...that voice...so familiar...

"...Nico...Nico...!"

What? Who...who was speaking to him...?

"...please...big brother..."

The beast seemed to realize what was happening, and howled with rage. **"No!"** it roared. **"He is MINE!"** Once again, it lunged for him. Just as its jaws were about to clamp down on him, however, the unexpected happen. A brilliant, silver light danced around him, and threw the black creature away. Nico's eyes widened at the sight, and felt warmth surrounding him. Slowly, the voices became clearer.

"...Celty...Ruby..."

"Big brother!"

"Nico!"

The dark beast slowly rose, its form smoking from the blinding light. It narrowed its bloody eyes at the teen before rushing at him again. However, like before, it was thrown back by the light. Nico felt his body swaying. His eyes were growing heavy.

"NICO/BIG BROTHER!"

The beast realized what was happening, and screamed. **"NOO!"** It gave one last futile charge, and the last thing Nico saw as he slowly felt his consciousness fading was the sight of it being thrown away by the light around him.

XXXXXXXXXX

"...his pulse is stable for now, but he's suffered quite a bit of damage to his internal organs," the doctor said as he looked at the members of Team RWBY, JNPR, and LNCE. "But, the good news is, he'll make a full recovery."

The group let out a collective, relieved sigh. "Oh, thank God..." Ludger breathed. "I was worried for the worst."

"Heh...hehe... Told ya he was too tough to kick the bucket..." Eden chuckled weakly, relieved beyond words.

Ruby was definitely among those who were too happy beyond words, reduced only to relieved, overjoyed sobs, clinging onto her sister for support.

"It's alright, sis..." Yang patted her in the head as she hugged her. "He's going to be alright..."

"Thank goodness..." Jaune fell back against the wall. His friend was going to make it.

Everyone was ecstatic and relieved. After nearly three days in ICU, Nico had pulled through. Despite having an oxygen mask over his face, as well as a few patches of bandages, the young man was still alive.

It felt as if a great weight had been lifted from all their shoulders. Their friend was alive and going to make a full recovery.

Maes Hughes sighed heavily as he reclined against the wall behind. "Thank goodness..." he laughed softly. "If this kid died on my watch, Kiri would have killed me."

"We're not out of the woods yet, Hughes." Glynda said sternly. "There is still the matter of Talon's presence here in Vale. We may have driven him off, but there is a chance he will come for him again."

"I know, Glynda..." Maes removed his glasses and pinched the space between his eyes. "But the good thing is that we now have some idea what to expect. We know he's coming...we just gotta keep an eye out for him."

"Yes..." Glynda nodded in agreement, and then focused her eyes on Nico. "Although, I'm rather worried... Back in the ICU, if Miss Rose hadn't shown up when she did..."

"Yeah…I was worried there for a second..." The bespectacled man nodded solemnly. "Good thing Ruby was there, though."

Yesterday when he was still in ICU, the boy suddenly went berserk. He was flailing and screaming, with his Semblance somehow active. The doctors weren't sure if he was awake or suffering from some kind of mental trauma, but he had injured a few doctors. Ruby had heard the commotion, and barreled in, despite their attempts to stop her. She saw how Nico was, how furious and livid he looked while also still unconscious, and whatever caused it was enough to hurt her deeply. She ran over to the boy's side, as if try and stop him from flailing.

What happened afterwards was something that Hughes and Glynda had sworn the doctors in that room to never speak of. "You do realize we will have to report this to the Headmaster." the blonde witch said seriously, looking at Ruby as she and Ludger stood next to the unconscious form of the Berserker. "There is no way we can keep quiet about this."

"I know that." Maes nodded again. "Besides...I don't think this is something that should be kept quiet about. Ozpin has to know about this."

'After all,' the man thought sadly. 'It does involve Summer.'

XXXXXXXXXX

"So, we meet at last, Mr. Heldalf..."

Cinder Fall greeted with a smile, not at all perturbed by the form of the malevolent Faunus standing before her. Mikaela stood by her side, his expression tense and hand resting on the pommel of his sword as a precaution. Mercury and Emerald were present as well, but remained silent, their stances rigid. While they tried to keep level expressions, in reality, they were terrified beyond belief. After all, the being before them was a complete monster.

"Indeed." the White Fang leader nodded gruffly.

There was a tense atmosphere in the air. Several members of the White Fang were sweating nervously with some holding their weapons, as if at the ready. Xeno simply sat atop one of the crates, looking on with a bored expression. Roman scowled slightly at the towering behemoth, his face scarred slightly because of the attack the man had thrown at him. Adam, like Mikaela, stood next to the leader of the White Fang with a tense expression, and his hand on the handle of his katana, Wilt.

"I must admit, this is the first time someone has brazenly asked for my presence..." Heldalf said slowly as he crossed his arms. "Nor did I expect it from Salem's lapdog." The woman's eyes glowed, as if registering his words in shock. "I know who you serve by the stench on your being. Now, what I wish to know is..." He leaned forward, his eyes burrowing into hers. "What does the Witch want with me? I believe I made myself clear the last time she asked for my assistance on whatever trivial matters you involve yourselves in."

The raven haired woman knew she had to word this carefully. One minor slip up, and no doubt Heldalf will raze everything and everyone here to the ground.

"Watch what you say, filthy mongrel..." Mikaela growled. "One more word, and I'll cut you down." This declaration earned many looks of shock on the White Fang, and soon drew their weapons. Adam restrained himself, but it was clear he also took offense to Mikaela's words towards his leader. Mercury and Emerald's breaths hitched. While they were also offended by Heldalf's remark, more so the latter than the former, they knew to restrain themselves. If Mikaela couldn't do that for Cinder's sake…then they were all dead.

Heldalf, however, looked completely unperturbed. Instead, he gave the boy a passing glance, but then narrowed his gaze. "...the Horseman of Death," he noted before his gaze turned to Xeno, who waved at him. "And the Horseman of Conquest." Slowly, he turned his head back to Cinder. "Interesting...you have two of the four with you." His gaze then wandered back to the blonde-haired boy beside her. "And one of them is one of those accursed angels no less." Cinder tensed while Mika's eyes narrowed dangerously at the man. "Do you intend to bring back Armageddon to this world, Cinder Fall?"

"...It depends really..." she began. "...from what I've seen, Humanity has grown sloppy, senile, and corrupt. Even those with merit are consistently being dragged down to the level of useless, corrupt, plebeians..."

"And your point...?"

"I want to go further." Cinder said. "I want humanity to know the pain and terror of being helpless...of being on the receiving end of their own punishments."

Heldalf leaned back, scratching his beard. "...and what do I get out of this?"

Cinder smirked. "Origin's Trial...and Bisley Bakur's head."

Heldalf's hand stopped scratching, his eyes widened. Adam's fingers twitched on Wilt's handle. "...Interesting..." The behemoth mused, his voice taking on a malicious tone. "So you are willing to give me the honor of completing the Trial and killing Bakur in exchange for my full cooperation?"

"Correct." the woman replied. "In truth, I care little about the Trial. All I wish for..." Her eyes burned brightly, and for a moment, the powers of the Fall Maiden fluctuated. "...is to make everyone remember true terror."

"...I see..." Heldalf nodded. He raised his hand as he turned around, signaling Adam to stand down. The Bull Faunus saw the motion and reluctantly agreed.

"Adam, give Cinder Fall your full support," he instructed. The man nodded, though he sent a warning glare to the blonde and the woman, who looked pleased by his answer. "From here on out, the entirety of the White Fang will cooperate with you. However..." Slowly, Heldalf looked over his shoulder. "Should you encounter Blake Belladonna, I ask that you allow no one to touch her. She is MY responsibility."

"Oh? And why is that?" She asked out of simple curiosity. However, she soon regretted her words.

The glare he sent was nearly enough to make her weak in the knees. Emerald and Mercury flinched under the Faunus' intense gaze. "...do not question me, child," he growled, his presence booming like the roar of a beast. "You may be Salem's lapdog, but know this...you know nothing of true terror."

The ominous pressure created from his Aura was stifling. His presence weighed down on all of them, threatening to crush them where they stood. Mika was close to drawing his sword from the face of the threat.

Xeno cackled. "Should have kept quiet, eh Cindy?!" he yelled out from on top his box. Mikaela sent him a glare, drawing his blade slightly. "Aw, would you look at that? Your little boyfriend, all ready to defend your honor!"

"Silence mortal!" Mika snarled as he drew his sword at the deranged man.

"Heh...Are you really that eager to fight me...Death?"

In response, Mika's eyes burned dark purple. "BLACK WAVE!" With a swung, an arc of dark energy was unleashed, aimed straight at Xeno. The man grinned widely as his own eyes glowed purple, and jumped up. The arc destroyed several of the boxes, causing the splinters to go flying through the air. Roman's eyes widened in horror, and whirled on the blonde. "You idiot, what do you think you're doing?!" he screamed. "That was a container of Dust, you just destroyed!"

Mikaela didn't respond to him. Cinder looked on worriedly for him, and was about to say something, but Xeno landed on the ground, a dark aura beginning to dance around him. "Now that's the Horseman I want to see..." he said with glee, a deranged look emerging on his face. "Do you know how long it's been...since I've had a good fight? C'mon, Death..."

Slowly, emerging from the aura around him were black swords. Hundreds, if not thousands.

 **"Put on a good show for the God of War."**

XXXXXXXXXX

"…mmnrgh...mn..."

A series of groans broke the silence of the white hospital room. A pair of eyelids flickered open, revealing gold irises.

"Where..." Nico said slowly. "Am I...?"

His eyes were trained on the ceiling above him. He slowly turned his head, his body feeling lethargic from the medications.

His eyes widened slightly when he found himself staring at a messy pile of black hair with a red tint. "...Ru...by..." he said weakly, left in surprise. How long was she there? In fact, how long has he been unconscious? He looked around the room, and realized that he must have been inside of a hospital. "That's right...Talon was..."

 _"You are a Bodaveg...If the Grimm are cruel, relentless, and without mercy...then you are worse...Like you're family, you rip and tear, until it is done..."_

The young teen shut his eyes and grit his teeth. That monster...whatever it was...it knew nothing! He was NOT like those bastards! He is his own person! He is not a monster...he is human!

"...looks like you're awake now." Nico's eyes widened as he looked toward the door, seeing a familiar, worn face smiling back at him. "Hey, kid... You look like crap."

"...Kiritsugu..." Nico whispered, his voice hoarse from his parched throat.

The worn man smiled softly as he stepped inside, closing the door behind him. "She's stayed with you ever since you were allowed visitors," he informed him as he took a chair nearby, and sat down on it. "Seems like you have quite the devoted girlfriend."

"She...she's not my girlfriend..." He croaked obliviously. "But...what are you...doing here...? What about...Celty...?"

"She's doing fine," he assured her. "I'm having a friend look after her. Although, it was a hell of an ordeal trying to convince her to stay home. When she found out that you were hospitalized, I found her at the front door, while she was running a high fever, without her walker." He sighed as he shook his head. "She truly is a handful, that one."

Nico laughed softly. "Yeah..." he whispered. "She really is..."

"The doctors told me what happened in ICU," Kiritsugu said. "They said you suddenly went ballistic." Nico said nothing, though he was surprised to hear this news. He wasn't aware that such a thing had happened while he was unconscious. "Nico." The boy turned, and found Kiritsugu staring at him with the utmost seriousness. "Did you have a dream about a giant black wolf?"

The young teen's eyes widened. How did...he...? "How...did you know...? What does...what does that dream even mean...?"

"From what I understand, it's something that all members of the Bodaveg family have when they've come of age," his father figure explained to him. "The wolf is a representation of your darkest, innermost instincts. Think of it like your inner darkness given a physical body."

"My inner...darkness...?" Was that why kept trying to get him riled up? So he would succumb to his own malice?

"I don't know much about it, I'm afraid," Kiritsugu shrugged. "However, it would be in your best interest if you didn't use your Semblance for a while."

"Why not...?" He asked, but felt as if he already knew what his foster father was going to say.

"It is too risky. Since that wolf is a manifestation of your instincts, it would be safe to assume that it would try to overwhelm you if you enter your Berserker state."

The boy frowned as he looked back up at the ceiling. "But...Talon is..."

"I know." Kiritsugu interjected. "He is still out there...but your duty right now, is to remain here and fully recover from your injuries. As you are now, you have no hope of standing against him..."

Nico wanted to retort, but the words soon died in his throat. While he didn't want to admit it, he was correct. He was useless to anyone in this condition. But...He couldn't help but feel uneasy, knowing that his former retainer is still out there, ready to strike. It wasn't his own well-being that he was worried about...it was his friends'.

Talon would no doubt consider them threats, and strike at them quickly. After all, they were enemies to him, and to him, enemies must be eliminated. None of them stood any chance against a monster like Talon...except perhaps Eden. Of course, it was all a matter of perspective. He had yet to see Eden's full strength, but if anyone from his team stood any chance against him, it was the Blue Devil himself.

From what he's observed from his other team mates so far...none of them were capable of fighting Talon head on. His leader, Ludger, may be versatile in three types of weapons and able to execute a Mystic Arte...but the drawbacks were present. Due to his proficiency in multiple weapons, he lacked the aptitude of truly mastering them. In addition, he could only use his Mystic Arte once in his current state. While it may have been enough to destroy a weakened Cerberus, it would take more to take down Talon. That is also taking into consideration that he hasn't seen Ludger's semblance. Depending on what it is, it may give him an advantage as an element of surprise. But from what he's seen…he lacks the will to mortally wound a person. Talon doesn't have that sort of hesitation.

He was unsure about Cielo, as from what he'd seen so far, her personality seems to change only when she is in danger. Mielo would do everything she could to protect her other self...but is her skill enough to hold up against the Bodaveg retainer? Based on what he's observed, her semblance seemed to be teleportation of some sort. She may have the element of surprise from this factor...but Talon would be able to see through it and counter accordingly.

Then there was Neo. He had seen her perform well in her sparring match against Ren the other day seemed capable of using her opponent's actions to her advantage. And her semblance gave her the element of surprise...But was it truly enough against Talon? He is not the type of enemy one could afford to fool around with. Even the slightest mistake will cost them their lives.

He doubted anyone from RWBY or JNPR could stand against him either.

For starters, Ruby lacked experience. Sure she was skilled enough to get into Beacon two years early at the behest of Ozpin, as well as fighting Grimm, but she lacked the experience in fighting stronger foes like Talon. She was young, only a year younger than him. She may have skipped ahead, but doing so cost her two years of training from Signal Academy, leaving her behind experience-wise. And from what he's seen of her, she was absolutely defenseless without her weapon. If Talon had disarmed her then...he didn't even want to think about it. She may be fast, but could she outrun the Hawk of the Bodavegs?

Weiss may have more training and experience than Ruby...but her training was only in controlled environments where she did not have to risk her life for victory. She lacked true field experience. If Nico had to compare, sending Weiss to fight Talon would be like sending a trained dog to fight off a ferocious wolf. She may possess and proficiently utilize the Schnee semblance of Glyphs...but would it be enough to defeat Talon? Not to mention her pride and attitude impeding her true combat capability. If something set her off...then she could end up blundering and be killed.

Blake was a possibility. Based on her movements during the fight against the Nevermore, she snowed signs of possessing adequate combat training and experience in the field. She was agile and taciturn, which is good. However, his former trainer had years upon years of training under his belt. Her semblance can let her sneak up on her opponent, but after a while, no doubt Talon would find a way to counter it. What Blake possesses may not be enough against him.

Yang was a powerhouse. She was well versed in hand to hand combat. But based on what the Berserker has observed, she does not handle well against fighters who specialize in kicks. She would be a poor match-up against Talon, who is utilizes a mix of punches and kicks in his fighting style. She may possess powerful strikes, but they are useless if they cannot hit him. Even with her semblance, the power she would gain would be meaningless if Talon took the measures to counter her attacks.

Jaune was...oh who was he kidding? Jaune was revealed to have no form of prior combat training whatsoever. He didn't even know the proper sword stances until recently. He may possess vast Aura reserves, but they were not a suitable defense against a seasoned veteran like Talon. He would be dead within minutes.

Pyrrha may have stood a chance...but there was a significant issue. She may have been a champion at combat tournaments, as well as fighting Grimm, but did she have the capability to fight and kill a man like Talon. No doubt she would hesitate, allowing her to be wide open for a killing blow.

Nora, like Yang, may have power on her side...but she was much too impulsive. From what Nico's seen, she charges into battle without a second thought, without any form of tactics or strategy aside from smashing and blowing things up. Talon had the advantage over her in regards to tactical prowess. All he had to do was avoid the range of her attacks and strike her at her vitals, wearing down her aura before going in for the kill.

Ren was a decent fighter in the Berserker's perspective. He was well versed in martial arts, Allium Orb use, Aura control, strategy, and ranged combat. He could probably last a while against Talon, but he would no doubt be overpowered eventually. From what Nico's seen, Ren was not suitable for fights that dragged out for a long time.

All in all, most of his friends would not stand a chance against his former retainer. Eden on the other hand...

Eden had what others lacked; the capability to kill. Being a mercenary, he had experience with murder, and he had the strength to easily defend himself. That, and from personal experience, Eden was full of surprises. After all, there was hardly anyone who could perform an Arcane Arte without the use of the Allium Orb. When it came down to it, out of everyone...Eden was the only person who stood a snowball's chance in Hell against someone like Talon.

But that was what made him so damned frustrated. He was weak, unable to fight properly against someone as strong as him. Even after all the training he had done with Kiritsugu, even with the damnable hell his "parents" subjected him to, and even with his Semblance...the best he could manage was land only a few hits, and barely any of them did real damage to him. He needed to get stronger. He had to...

...for her sake.

He wouldn't let his past swallow her up. He WILL protect her!

"...I like the fire in your eyes, Nico." Kiritsugu said warmly, bringing him out of his thoughts. The man was smiling. "I'm glad...it seems like you've found some good people in your life at Beacon."

"...Yeah..." Nico found himself smiling as well. His gaze lingered over to Ruby's sleeping form. "I'm glad too..."

"I just have one thing to ask, though."

"What's that?"

The man smirked. "...don't make me a grandfather just yet." With that said, Kiritsugu stood up, set the chair back where it belonged, and left the room without another word.

The room was then silent. A moment passed. Then two. Then three. Then finally, Nico had processed what Kiritsugu just told him. "...why would I make him a grandfather?"

"..mngh...Yaaaaaang..." Ruby murmured cutely in her sleep, shifting slightly. "Stoooop...you know I hate being tickled..."

Nico then focused his attention on the girl. His lips curled into a soft smile. Seeing her sleep like this...she seemed too peaceful.

Actually, now that he got a better look at her...

Her sleeping face seemed so...cute. As if he was watching a little kitten curling up in its sleep.

It took a second for Nico to realize what he was thinking, and shook his head. 'C'mon, Nico, get your mind out of the gutter.' he thought in disapproval. 'She's a friend. Just a friend. It's wrong to think about her that way.'

...

'...right?'

Was she...really JUST a friend...? As he pondered this, Nico couldn't help but notice certain features he would've otherwise missed. The way her hair frames her heart shaped face. How her clear, light complexion glows under the fluorescent lights. How her hairs contrast in color gave her a unique appearance. How her soft pink lips move ever so slightly as she breathed.

"Nico..." The boy froze when he heard the girl murmur his name. As she did so, a peaceful smile crossed her lips. "Nico..."

"Is she...dreaming about me?"

That took him by surprise. Why was she dreaming about him? He was hardly anything special. If at all anything, he considered himself plain. The only real thing he probably had going for was the marks, which irritated him to no end. Contrary to what people believed, the marks of the Bodaveg family caused him more trouble than he would like to admit, case in point his first encounter with Cardin Winchester.

"N-Nico..." For some strange reason, Ruby developed a heavy blush on her cheeks, shifting again in her sleep. "D-don't...don't touch me there..."

Nico frowned at this. Touch her where? What kind of dreaming was she even having?

"...what a strange girl," he mused, but smiled nonetheless as he gently patted the girl on the head. This seemed to make her comfortable, a peaceful smile playing across her lips. "Although, I suppose that's the pot calling the kettle black." His hand gently stroked her hair, eliciting what seemed like a soft purr from her lips.

"Nico..."

"I'm here, Ruby...thank you for watching over me..."

"Ni...co..." Ruby murmured, nuzzling her head against his hand. The boy smiled softly.

Honestly...she really was cute.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Oh, for Pete's sake...!" Weiss grumbled. "She has perverted dreams, but she can't even say three words?! Guh, what a dunce!"

"Shush!" Yang snapped at her quietly. "He'll hear us!"

Ludger sweat-dropped. "Remind me again...why did you drag us to spy on those two?"

The remaining members of teams RWBY, LNCE, and JNPR were currently station right outside of Nico's hospital room. Weiss and Yang had taken the liberty of opening the door only slightly to observe Nico and Ruby. Right after Kiritsugu had left, the girls couldn't resist checking up on the two...

And Yang was more than happy that she did. She was grinning widely, having overheard Ruby's mumbling. Who would that that her darling, socially awkward, weapon-obsessed younger sister had dreams like that? Weiss, however, was growing frustrated. Honestly, it was perfectly clear the girl had feelings for the boy, so what was taking her so damned long?! It's just three simple words! Easy as that!

"I kind of agree with Yang, though..." Jaune said. "I kinda want to see what'll happen next."

"Isn't this an invasion of privacy, though?" Pyrrha asked in concern.

"Who cares?!" Nora growled. "Ruby, hurry up and confess so I can eat pancakes!"

Ren sighed. "Nora, she can't confess if she's asleep."

"But she dreamed of him touching her, didn't she?" Cielo asked as she tilted her head. "Does that means she has the same kind of dreams Neo has of Ludger rubbing her-"

"...one more word, and you die." The tri color haired girl glared at her.

"Mou~! Ludger, Neo's being mean!" The blue haired girl cried, flailing her arms.

"Well, that's what you get for teasing her..." Eden deadpanned.

"Heheh..." Ludger chuckled weakly.

Blake sighed as she turned the page of her book, crossing her legs. "C'mon, Blake!" Yang urged her friend. "Don't you wanna see a possible confession?!"

"No," she replied bluntly. "I fail to see the point."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"For one, it isn't a real confession," she pointed out. "She's asleep and muttering in her dream. Secondly, it is rude to eavesdrop."

The lilac-eyed girl rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, be adventurous!" she said. "Besides, I NEED to catch this moment on camera! After all, Nico just might be my little sis' first boyfriend~"

"That is if he even knows what a confession is," Eden scoffed. "Seriously, dude is dense as dark matter. I can't tell if that's just because of how he lived with his parents, or he doesn't have very many friends."

"...Fair point..." Yang's enthusiasm dropped upon realizing this fact.

"You never know," Jaune said. "Maybe he does know what a confession is." That said, however, the blonde looked on, slightly worried. "I just hope those two get together...though if they do, I kind of pity him."

"Why's that?"

Jaune gave the Blue Devil a flat look. "...who is Ruby's big sister?"

Eden stared at Jaune before looking over to Yang. The blonde girl grinned and waved at him. Eden then turned back to Jaune. "...Good point."

XXXXXXXXXX

Outside of the hospital, a figure watched Nico from atop the rooftop of a towering building, set down on his knee. Talon's eyes could only soften, seeing the affection the young master was displaying for the girl. Truly, she was the spitting image of the woman he had met on the battlefield so many years ago. "...are you sure about this, Talon?" a voice called out from behind him, followed by a series of footsteps. "You know, it isn't too late."

The Hawk of the Bodavegs didn't even turn around. He shook his head. "...I have made my decision long ago, Kiritsugu...there is no changing it."

The worn man sighed. "...you're a damned fool."

"Heh..." Talon couldn't help but chuckle. "I am indeed..."

Regardless, there was no going back for him. Slowly the man stood up, and looked up at the sky. It was nearly dusk, evident by the orange tint.

"I do not expect him to forgive me, nor do I ask for it..." the Hawk of the Bodaveg said, his eyes showing not an experienced veteran...but a worn, tired man. "All I ask...is that he understands what I must do."

 **-Nico Bodaveg; the Berserker's Plight: END-**

Next Time: Nico Bodaveg; the Fated Battle - Unleashing the Beast


	11. Chapter 11

**Co-Written with Demons Anarchy of Pride. The creator of many fantastic masterpieces such as: Fire Emblem: Eternity Unto Reformation, Code Geass: Lelouch of the R-eset, The Crow: DxD, Highschool, DxD: Shatter Destiny, RWBY's Reaper, Code Geass 00, Fractured Reality, Code Geass: Suzaku of the Counterattack, Devil Survivor: Destiny Rewind, and some of his new projects, such as Lagrange 111: You Are (Not) Alone, Tokyo Ghoul: A Flowered Colored Darker Than Black, Persona 4: The Unseen Truth, Monarch, Kill the Deadly Sin, Code Geass: The Butterfly Effect, DxD: Final, DC Heroes: FORGOTTEN BLOODSTAINED LEGACY, DxD: Nocturne, Project, A Tale of Three Dragons, A Dragon Darker than Black, Code Geass: Kill the Rebellion, RWBY: Colorless Memories, RWBY: Black Rebellion, RWBY: Final Judgment, and more.**

 **I highly recommend you check them all out.**

 **I really appreciate your help, man. Couldn't have done this without ya!**

 **I also recommend a few stories made by another talented fanfic writer, Otaku-Nation666: Warning Letter, Highschool DxD: Destiny's Play, RWBY Riders: Spirits of Legend, Deadly Sin of the Spriggan, RWBY: Within Enlightened Hearts, Tokyo Ghoul: Wishes of an Eyepatch, Fabulae Parcae, RWBY –Apocrypha-, Tokyo Mirage Sessions: Apocalypse, and more.**

 **Neither of us own any of the characters from other series featured in this fic. They belong to their respective creators.**

 **Thank you to all who continue to support this story. Please Read and Review.**

 **Also…..ALL FLAMES CAN JUST BURN IN HELL!... So don't even bother.**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Chapter 9: Nico Bodaveg; the Fated Battle - Unleashing the Beast**

The Hawk of the Bodavegs stood silently as the two people he serves under were seated with one another, discussing plans regarding a particular, disobedient child.

"...so, Nico has chosen to remain at that filthy man's care?"

"Yes, milady...I'm afraid so."

"And yet," Lord Bodaveg spoke, his tone cold. "You did not retrieve him."

Talon remained stone-faced, even in the presence of his lord and masters. "Among those present were Maes Hughes, the Horseman," he spoke. "Glynda Goodwitch, and even the Blue Devil himself. Even I would have a hard time taking the young master with opponents such as them, especially all at once."

"Talon bears a point, my husband," Lady Bodaveg supported him. "Glynda Goodwitch is one of the strongest practitioners of Dust control there is with her power, and Maes Hughes is a terror to behold, if the recounts of his exploits are to be believed. And as for the Blue Devil...I believe the trail of death he has left behind in his wake speaks for itself."

"Even so. We must get our son away from those filthy Plebians before his corruption becomes irreversible." The man gruffly stated. "...We must drag our point across so he won't ever refuse us again..." He then refocused his attention on Talon.

The Hawk bowed his head. "What shall you have me do, milord?"

"...Kill those girls. Kill that weak excuse of a daughter and the daughter of Summer Rose." He ordered coldly.

For the longest moment, Talon was silent. However, he soon bowed his head. "...understood."

XXXXXXXXXX

"So, Nico, how do you feel?"

"To put it bluntly, Eden?" the teen said with a quirked eyebrow. "Tired...and hungry. Hospital food tastes horrible." It has been a few days since he woke up. He is steadily recovering, even to the point of walking around freely. But the Doctors wanted him to stay until he is 100% healed. But as it currently stands, he should get discharged in the next couple of days. It was thanks to his Aura that his recovery has been progressing so smoothly.

"Haha...I figured you would say that. I've been through the same thing." He then reached into his coat and pulled out a paper bag filled with something. Based on the delicious scent Nico picked up from it, it had to be food. "So I got you something edible so you won't have to starve in here."

The tattooed teen took the bag from him, and opened it up. A wry smile formed across his face.

"A cheeseburger with extra large fries and a pizza calzone. Thanks, Eden."

"No problem, pal." Eden patted him on the shoulder. "Can't have my best friend malnourished when he's recovering."

Weiss, however, looked slightly aghast. "C-cheeseburger?!" she said with disapproval. "That is hardly healthy, especially with a calzone!"

"Is not!" Yang retorted. "It is tasty, and it is awesome!"

"Hell yeah!" Eden raised his hand for a fist bump as he took a bite of his own calzone.

The blonde knocked her knuckles against his, causing the two to grin while Blake shook her head, but smiled nonetheless. "So, how are you feeling?" the black-clad girl asked. "You don't look all that..."

"Good?" Nico shrugged. "What can I say? I'm a glutton for punishment." Even with his healing injuries, the teen had to let out a grin.

"I'm just glad your okay!" Ruby said with a cross between a pout and a frown. "And who was that guy anyway?! He was a real meanie!"

Nora nodded as she rammed her fist into the air. "I say we make like sloths, find him, and break his legs!"

"...Nora," Ren sighed. "If we moved like sloths, it'd take forever."

"What is her obsession with sloths, anyway?" Jaune asked, genuinely curious.

"Don't get me started..." Ren shook his head.

Soon, everyone's attention returned to Nico.

"So," Cielo said with a tilt of her head. "Who's the guy who nearly turned you and Rubes to pincushions?"

The Berserker looked at each of his friends before sighing. "...his name is Talon Noctis. He...is a retainer of the Bodavegs. He looked out for me when those bastards didn't, which was most of the time. He taught me how to fight. He practically raised me when I was young and before I ran away."

The group was surprised at this information. This man, Talon, the one who attacked him...was the one who raised him? "W-wait, how does that work?!" Ruby shouted, eyes shining with concern. "If he cares about you, then why was he-?!"

"Like I said, he's the Bodaveg family's retainer." Nico stated, his tone becoming cold. "He's their loyal lapdog...and he's more than skilled."

"So even though he raised you...he's still going to keep attacking you to drag you back to your family on their orders?" Pyrrha questioned.

"Yep." Nico nodded solemnly.

"Too bad that's not gonna happen." Eden stated as he polished off his pizza calzone. "He has to get through me first. No one attacks my partner like that and gets away with it. Especially not a bunch of bastards like the Bodavegs."

Ludger nodded in agreement. "Damn straight."

Neo signed 'seconded.'

Cielo grinned. "Mielo says she's in agreement!" she chimed, earning a few confused stares from those who were still unaware of the existence of her second personality. As a result, she blinked from the confusion. "...what? Was it something I said?"

"...who the heck is Mielo?" came the fated question.

The response?

"Mielo is Mielo~ Just as Cielo is Cielo~!"

Everyone who was unaware of the girl's secret looked at one another before looking at her. "...That doesn't make it any clearer..." Weiss stated.

Ludger sweat-dropped, also slightly panicking. While he wasn't sure what Mielo wanted, he didn't want to tell everyone about her without the personality's permission. With that in mind, he changed the subject. "N-Nico, is there any way you can think of that might help us beat Talon?"

The injured teen frowned as he gave a tired sigh. "I've been pondering that ever since I regained consciousness. Unfortunately...from what I know so far about your combat capabilities...barely any of you would be able to beat him. Hell...the majority of you would be killed easily. The only one I can think of who would have the best chance is Eden..."

Several pairs of eyes widened. Out of all of them...only Eden would be able to fight on par with Talon. What did he mean by that?

"...What do you mean?" Ren asked, voicing everyone's thoughts.

Nico closed his eyes, as if deep in thinking. "For one thing," he began. "It's experience. Nearly all of us here came here to train in order to become Huntsman. Talon has YEARS of experience, as well as the mentality to kill someone. Frankly, only one of us has ever actually killed someone."

All eyes turned to Eden, who had decided to munch on another calzone. Noticing their gazes, he quirked an eyebrow. "...what?"

"Well, he's not wrong," Blake interjected. "Eden's taken down several White Fang cells...and if what I've heard is any indication, there were hardly any survivors."

"Not true," the Blue Devil denied. "There was one guy. A dude with bull horns and a katana."

Blake's eyes widened. She felt her stomach drop. Bull horns...katana...there was only one person she knew who fit that criteria but...did they really cross paths...?

"The guy was strong as hell. Gave me a run for my money." He shrugged as he took a bite of his food. "...it was actually pretty fun...fighting someone like that...Even if I nearly died once or twice. I had to high-tail it outta there when I nearly ran out of Aura." He then furrowed his brow. "Although...I think I remember two others...one of them had prosthetic legs. They decided to interfere in one of my jobs. My response? I welded his metal legs to the pavement."

"Ooooo~" Cielo cooed. "How long were they stuck there?!"

Eden shrugged. "Dunno, didn't stick around long enough to find out. I think he kept screaming and ranting about how he wanted to kill me." A grin formed on his face. "Anyway, the bull guy was strong...though if you were to ask me, Talon's on another level."

Ludger narrowed his eyes. "Do you think you could take him?"

"Maybe, if I knew how he worked and what Artes he had up his sleeve."

"Well from what I remember, his Artes and fighting style are similar to mine, given that he was my old instructor." Nico responded. "But even then, he didn't show me everything. I don't even know the full extent of his power..."

"Well, what you told me is better than nothing." The Blue Devil polished off his second calzone in a few bites. "I mean, you and I sparred quite a few times back in combat class, so I more or less have a feel of your fighting style. And if Talon's movements are similar, I should be able to counter them, even if only for part of the time."

"Don't forget that sword of yours," Ruby said before her eyes lit up. "Also, CAN I SEE IT?! PRETTY PLEASE WITH A CHERRY ON TOP?!"

Yang, startled by her little sister's sudden movement, took as step back. "W-whoa, okay! What exactly do you have stored in that sheath that got her hot and bothered?!" There was a moment of silence. "...and no, that wasn't a pun or innuendo."

Eden grinned. "That all depends...what sheath you talking about?"

Weiss, immediately catching on to what he was saying, blushed furiously and whacked him on the shoulder. "She means the sword in the scabbard, y-you perverted pig!"

"Hey hey..." Eden raised his hands in defeat. "I was just joking. I only said a series of words to play off of what Yang said. It's your fault for having a dirty mind."

"W-what?!"

Yang grinned lecherously. "Oooh, Weiss~ Who knew you were a dirty perv on the inside?" she said in a joking manner. "There's hope for you yet!"

"I-I don't want to here that from you!" The heiress snapped angrily.

"Um..." Jaune sweat-dropped. "C-can we...get back on the subject."

"THANK YOU!"

Eden couldn't help but laugh. It was always fun to see the usually composed heiress in a tizzy. He then followed Ruby's request, and removed his sword from its sheath.

The blue blade crackled with energy as it slid from its weaponized scabbard. The black runes etched into the blade were as dark as a void, in contrast to the glowing surface of the azure metal.

As soon as she laid eyes on the blade, Ruby knew she had found perfection.

It was a beautifully crafted katana sword. One forged by a master swordsmith. The edge seemed to be oscillating. Every now and then, a crackle of electricity ran along the length of the blade. The most striking features of the blade itself were the fact that the metal was a shining azure with deep black markings etched into the flat of the sword. Nevertheless, Ruby instantly recognized what type of weapon this was.

"A-a-a-a high frequency blade..." Ruby gaped, her tone a mix of reverence, awe, and fear. "A sword that can virtually cut through anything...!"

Everyone's eyes widened at this as they looked at Eden, and suddenly felt the urge to take a step back. Their friend had a weapon like that on him?! "Seriously man?!" Jaune shouted, sweating bullets. "Where'd you even get a sword like that?!"

"…It belonged to my dad...my real dad..." Eden's gaze turned solemn as he took back the sword and eyed the blade. "Originally it was a normal sword...but I modified it into a high frequency blade.

The group fell silent at his words. Yang, who had heard his story the other day, felt her heart ache for the poor boy. In a way...they shared a similar pain. One had lost their family, and the other lost their mothers...both of them. To this day, Yang still didn't know if her birth mother was even still alive.

But she kept searching, because she held hope in her heart. Hope for answers. Answers as to why she left all those years ago.

However in Eden's case...he lost everything that day.

Nico leaned forward a bit to get a better look at the blade. "Hm...It looks pretty strong," he noted. "You'd definitely be able to hold a candle to him, along with your ability to use an Arcane Arte without the use of Overlimit. That will throw him off. Still..."

"Still, what?" Pyrrha frowned. "Does Talon have something up his sleeve?"

"...it's his claws. They're made of oricalchum, a powerful and rare ore. It's light, but very sturdy."

"But I was able to cut through his gauntlets back in Forever Fall…" The Blue Devil responded. I saw the blade cut into his hand and through the metal plating."

"He must've been using his standard claws then." Nico shook his head. "For most of his jobs, he uses a normal pair of claws made of standard materials like steel and titanium. He only uses his Orichalcum claws for missions against powerful foes, where he has to go all out. So even if Eden's blade is a high-frequency blade, which can cut through anything, it's another story when oricalchum claws are imbued with Aura-conductive dust."

Weiss' eyes widened. "Aura-conductive Dust?" she murmured. "But...that's Dust that can channel Aura. If it's grafted into metal, it can be made quite sturdy. B-but it hasn't been released to the public yet! We're still in the refining process! How did this Talon Noctis get a hold of it?!"

"One word: Bodaveg." He stated simply. "They have connections...even if some of them are in the underground."

The heiress' face lit with rage, her body shaking. "First they are abhorrent monsters of the worst kind...and now criminals?" she said, teeth clenched in barely constrained anger. "Oh, they are going to regret crossing me...!"

"Uh, Weiss?" Jaune raised his hand. "Technically, he crossed Nico and us, not just you."

"Not important!"

Suddenly, after sheathing his sword, Eden clapped his hands, surprising everyone. "As fun as this little meeting is," he said. "Let's give our friend some rest. We can talk about dealing with this Talon guy later." He looked at Nico. "You okay with that, bro?"

The Berserker nodded, smiling. "Yeah...thanks, you guys."

He was truly grateful...to have friends like them.

The Devil gave a warm smile. "No problem man." He then turned to the rest of the group to usher them out. "C'mon. Let's go."

The group then poured out of the room, giving him their regards and wishing them well. Soon, he was left alone as the door closed.

Nico looked down at his bandaged hands. His thoughts drifted back to Forever Fall. With these hands...he failed to protect Ruby from Talon...

"Allow you have to do is accept me..."

His hands clenched into fists. There would be no way...NO WAY...he would accept whatever was sleeping inside of him. No matter what Kiritsugu said.

That thing...it was a monster. Plain and simple. He would not give in to the power of his bloodline.

As he reclined in his bed, Nico thought back on his life up to this point.

The Hell that he had endured during childhood...to the peaceful existence he lived under Kiritsugu's care...to the friends he had now...

It seemed like everything was just going by so quickly. He didn't mind it, honestly. After all, having family and friends like that made his life worthwhile. For the first time, he had people he could rely on, people he could hang out with, chat with, cry with, suffer with...something he never would have had if he had stayed with the Bodavegs. 'Although,' he thought in apprehension. 'They're not going to take the idea of me being disobedient lightly. Chances are, they'll try and 'fix me' by getting rid of Celty and Ruby.'

He knew how his parents worked...how cruel they can be.

But he wouldn't let that happen. Not as long as he was still alive.

"...it seems you have strong convictions, Young Master." a familiar voice said, causing Nico's eyes to narrow, gently turning his head to see a silhouette standing outside of the window. "However...in your state, can you truly protect what you hold dear?"

"...what are you doing here, Talon...?" The teen asked coldly.

The retainer of his family spoke gravely, "Lord and Lady Bodaveg have given me my orders...I am to kill Ruby Rose, and Celty Bodaveg."

Shock and rage boiled within Nico. Shock upon hearing those words, and sheer rage at what he just heard. His parents stooped to a new low...targeting his sister and friend who wasn't even part of all this!

"...and you came here to tell me this?"

"...not quite." Nico frowned. "Young Master...it is time we settled this petty dispute. If you return with me, I can guarantee their safety. If not...then I must force my hand, unless you seek to stop me in your powerless state."

Nico bit the inside of his cheek. He was given an ultimatum. His choices were essentially to obey or let Ruby and Celty die by his hand. Damn those bastards...why couldn't they just leave him alone?!

"...what will it be, Young Master?"

Nico was silent.

"When you have made your decision...meet me at the rooftop," Talon said as his form retreated. "Tonight."

Before Nico could respond, the man was already gone...leaving him to ponder in silence.

XXXXXXXXXX

"So..." Ozpin said slowly, taking a drink from his mug. "Ruby awakened to her power?"

"No, not quite." Hughes said, his usually jovial face locked firm as he sat in the chair opposing the Headmaster of Beacon, his arms folded over his chest. "If at all anything, it was more like a pseudo-awakening...but that still doesn't change the fact that she used her power." His eyes narrowed, followed by a flashing glare in his glasses. "Ozpin...she's not ready for that kind of power yet."

Ruby was only a Huntress in training. She was too young to be accessing that type of power and shouldering that type of burden.

"I know, Maes..." The Headmaster nodded. "...That is why we are doing our best to prepare her for the trials to come."

"But what if our best isn't enough?" the Horseman asked. "Oz, think about the situation here. Salem has the Horseman of Conquest and Death on her side. Out of the four, Abaddon and Shadow were the most ruthless and cruel, second only to Pluto. At the rate things are going, the Four are going to be reunited...and you know what happens after that."

"Of course I do Maes..." Ozpin shook his head. Once the Four are brought together...Armageddon will befall on Remnant.

And once that happens...there would be nothing left of the planet.

"That's why we have to do everything we possibly can to make sure the future generation can stand up to the storm on the horizon...as much as I wouldn't wish it upon them," the man said, slowly setting his mug down and turning to the window behind him. For a moment, his eyes turned old and tired, as if they were the eyes of an old man. "How long must it be...for our children to clean up their parents' mistakes? How long must it be for the new generation to be the ones to stand against the tide, when it was us who stood against it?"

"I do not know my friend..." Maes shook his head. "Even though children shouldn't have to pay for the mistakes of the parent...the new generation is always forced into that role." His eyes drifted to the ground as his mind dredged up a painful memory...the memory of losing his best friend...

Slowly, his hand balled into a fist.

'Calm yourself, Maes Hughes...' a regal voice spoke in the back of his mind. 'Let not thyn anger lead thee astray.'

"I know that, Aska...but..." The bespectacled man addressed the Great Spirit within him. It's been ten years...ten years...since the tragedy of Mt. Glenn. If only he got there quicker...then may he could've saved them...

…At the very least...he was able to save Eden.

That was the only good thing that came out of the situation. After all...Eden was the only survivor of that Hell hole.

"At any rate...what is the status with young Nico?" Ozpin questioned.

Maes snapped out of his thoughts to respond. "He has recently regained consciousness. And from what he told me, Kiritsugu paid him a visit."

"He seems stable," Hughes answered. "But it looked like that Beast was about to wake up. From what I understand, the Bodaveg family's Semblance can take on a physical form in their dreams, representing their cardinal desires?"

"Indeed it can. It's rather odd, I know...but its power is certainly real. According to Kiritsugu, if one accepts the Beast, they would have enough strength to slaughter an entire horde of Grimm with their bare hands alone. Unfortunately, by doing so, they become, for all intents and purposes, a true Berserker. Lost in madness, driven by blind rage, destroying everything in their path."

"So a double edged sword then..."

"Yes. It seems that young Nico's desire to protect Ruby caused his inner Beast to stir, though luckily, she calmed it down."

"Yeah..." Maes frowned. "But if she went any farther, her body wouldn't be able to take it. Like I said, she isn't ready...and if you want me to be honest, Oz, I hope she never is."

"I agree, my friend..." The Headmaster gazed solemnly through the glass. "I pray that these children will never have to experience war..."

XXXXXXXXXX

"...so, Ruby?" Yang grinned as they made their way out of the hospital. "What's this I hear about you having some alooooone time with Nico?"

"I-It's not what you think!" Ruby shook her head rapidly.

Weiss rolled her eyes. Honestly, who was she fooling? It was obvious that she had a crush on Nico. Still, for the sake of her team leader, she chose to intervene. "Alright, that's enough teasing Yang," she told the blonde brawler. "As much fun as it would be to inquire about her love life, such things are private."

"Aw...is it wrong for an older sister to be curious about her younger sister's crush?"

"I-I DON'T LOVE NICO OKAY?!"

Blake sighed. "Ruby...none of us said you loved him," she said blandly. "You're just digging yourself a deeper grave."

"Aw...!" Ruby whined. She then turned to Ludger. "C'mon Ludger! You understand, right?! Right?!"

"...I am staying out of this conversation..." The white haired teen slowly backed away.

"W-what about you, Eden?!"

"Just confess to him already, you won't regret it." the Blue Devil said, causing her face to redden.

"C-Cielo?!"

"Cielo and Mielo thinks that you and Nico would make a wonderful couple!"

"J-Jaune?!"

"W-well, I kinda have to admit, you and Nico do look good together."

"Pyrrha?!"

"I...must confess that this subject is uncomfortable for me."

"Ren, please?!"

"...I agree with Ludger."

"Nora?! Wait, no, forget I-"

"Ruby and Nico sitting in a tree~ K-I-S-S-I-N-G~!"

"Uwagh...!" Ruby cried out in despair. But she then realized there was still hope. There was only one person left. "C'mon Neo...you understand me, right?!"

"..."

The odd-eyed girl stared back at her before a smirk formed over her face. She then held up her hands, and formed one finger into an "o." The other was a fist with only the index finger extended outward. Ruby, despite her naivete, knew what that meant, and her face promptly exploded into a whole new shade of red.

"NEEEOOO!"

"Well, looks like the only one who doesn't see it is you, sis..." Yang giggled. "You and Nico make a good couple."

"B-b-b-b-b-but!"

"She's right," Eden nodded. "Seriously, short stuff, just ask him out already. It's three simple words. 'I like you!' Is it that hard to say?"

"YES!" Ruby screamed in indignation.

Ludger sighed. This was just getting ridiculous...though he'd be lying if he didn't agree with them. It was obvious the two had feelings for one another, and he agreed with their sentiments. They looked cute together. Although, there had been one thing bothering him. "...how is it that you approve of Nico as her boyfriend," he said, turning to Yang. "When you tried to kill him the other day?"

"Meh, details!"

Yang waved it off without a care.

"...so you don't deny that you tired to kill him..."

Weiss sighed. "Why aren't I surprised?" she said before looking back at the hospital. "Still...do you think he'll be okay in there?" Her words caused everyone to halt, turning to look her at her. "Think about it. This Talon character is trying to take him back to his family, right? What's to say he won't come after him while he's vulnerable?"

"Ice Queen's got a point," Eden chimed. "Though I doubt it. Bastard seems like he's got at least some sense of honor."

"Even still," Blake said with concern. "Weiss has a point. Besides, given what we've learned...I wouldn't be surprised if they tried using underhanded methods to try and take him back."

"Yeah? Like what? That he would try and assassinate Nico's little sister and Ruby on his parents' orders?" Eden questioned.

"...that was oddly specific..."

"What? Come on, it could happen!" he retorted. "I mean, the whole reason he doesn't get along with them was because they wanted to throw her way, right? Then you've got Ruby here, who he's got a crush over!" Ruby's face lit up again in embarrassment. "I think it's a safe bet they'll come after them."

Yang's eyes flashed dangerous as she cracked her knuckles. "They try anything," she said threateningly. "And they get a fistful of my Ember Celica."

Everyone else shared the same sentiments. No one messes with or threatens their friends and gets away with it.

"...Ooh ohh!" Cielo yipped as she held up a hand. "I has an idea!"

"Huh?" Ludger looked to his teammate, cocking his head to the side. "What is it?"

"Why not have someone look after Nico?" she suggested. "If one of us stays by his side, then that big meanie Talon wouldn't go after him!"

"Newsflash," Eden shook his head. "None of us can stand a match to him."

"But we can hold him off until backup arrives!"

"But...but what if he kills us before they arrive?" Jaune retorted nervously.

"Then we run for the hills and wait until they arrive!"

"And what if he catches us?" Pyrhha asked.

"Kick him in the balls and run like hell!"

Nora instantly brought up her hand. "I am all for this plan!"

The males of the group cringed at the idea and unconsciously shielded their crotches.

"...you are an evil little girl, Cielo." Yang said, staring at her, sweating slightly. "A very, very evil girl."

"Heehee~" The azure haired girl stuck her tongue out and winked.

"...well, she does have the right idea, though," Blake said, placing a hand on her hip. "One of us should stay with Nico, just in case. And..." She hesitated slightly, looking rather uncomfortable. "...do as she suggested when waiting for reinforcements."

Ludger nodded in agreement. "Alright...so who's going to stay behind?"

"I nominate Ruby!" Yang grabbed and raised her sister's hand.

"What, wait, Y-Yang?!" The silver eyed girl protested.

"C'mon...It's a good way to finally confess to Nico~"

"Wh-what?! Yang, that's-!"

"It's settled then!" Eden said with a wide grin. "Miss Reaper here will look after her boyfriend while we goof off and wait for orders!" He then turned on the flustered girl, and gave her a mock salute. "We're counting on you, Captain Ruby!"

"W-wait, what the?!"

"Godspeed, my friend." Ludger patted her on the shoulder before walking past her.

"Good luck~" Cielo waved before merrily skipping.

"W-wait, hold on!"

Too late. Everyone gave her either good lucks or have funs or gave their condolences, and took off before she even had a say. By the time she realized it, she was standing in front of the hospital entrance. Her face was set into pure shock before her face morphed into anger.

"YOU JEEEEEERKS!"

XXXXXXXXXX

The night was cold, as the breeze blew across his barely concealed body. He had long since discarded the top, thus leaving him only clad in his scrub pants, and the red bandana around his head. Not far from him, sitting atop the fence, was his opponent.

"...so you've come, Young Master."

Talon jumped off the fence, landing on the ground with a thud. Slowly, he rose to his feet.

"...Of course I would..." Nico grunted. "Kinda hard not to given the ultimatum you gave me earlier..."

Talon's face had no emotion. It was still even. He dug into his coat, and pulled out familiar weapons. The very same weapons that earned him his reputation. However, there was another par, identical to his own. Gauntlets with bloody red steel, yet it lacked any sort of sharpness at the claw. Instead, the knuckles looked heavily protruding, almost sharp enough to cut into skin. Nico frowned, and reacted on instinct when the man threw the gauntlets to him. He caught them easily. "While they may not be your Gaea Endless Break," Talon stated, equipping his fangs. "I trust they will suffice."

Nico said nothing. Instead, he slipped the gauntlets on with ease. Immediately, he felt a sense of familiarity run through him as he wore the weapons. He felt as if he had seen them before. However, for now, he would focus on what would happen now. He flexed his fingers, getting used to to feel before clenching them into fists.

He raised his head and looked at Talon square in the eye. He wasn't going to let him anywhere near Ruby and Celty.

"Shall we begin?"

With an unspoken 'yes,' Nico shot forward. He struck first.

"Demon Fist!"

A blast of energy tore across the ground straight toward the Bodaveg retainer.

Talon looked unimpressed, and rammed his fist into the ground, right when the attack would have connected. The force behind his counter dispelled the arte, but Nico had not stood still as he waited for the attack to hit its mark. To the man's surprise, and intrigue, Nico was already in front of him, with his arms reared back. "Beast!" He thrusted both arms forward, letting out the spectral image of a lion bearing down on its target. The Bodaveg retainer easily defended, bringing up his arms in an x formation. The attack was at point-blank, and its power was fearsome, but the damage was hardly anything. The force had forced him back a bit, as he feet skidded across the pavement.

Nico, meanwhile, frowned. "...these gauntlets..." he said slowly. "These aren't just made with the same design as your Hawk Fangs...no, I know these gauntlets all too well." His golden eyes flared, and for a moment, he felt the Beast inside of him stir with slight vigor. "What? Is this supposed to be a sick joke, Talon? Making me use my father's gauntlets?! Are you trying to remind me who I am?!"

The assassin simply dusted off his shoulders and turned to face his ward. "...That was not my intention, young master."

"Then what was it?! Why the hell are you making me use that bastard's weapons?!" He roared.

Talon gave no response. Instead, he slowly clenched his hand into a fist. "...Endless Dream." With a single forward straight, a bolt of thunder launched forward, aiming straight for Nico.

"Dammit!" Nico crossed his arms over his chest to defend against the arte.

Unfortunately, it did him little good.

The lightning seared across his flesh, the energy running through his spine, making him spasm upon contact.

The pain lasted only for a few seconds...but they were agonizing. He fell to his knees, panting in pain. "W-what...?!"

Even though the attack ended, his body still felt like it was burning. Every nerve screamed in pain. So much that he was starting to lose feeling in his limbs.

"That was the first time I've ever used this arte on a human being," Talon said gravely as he slowly stepped forward. "Young Master...know this. This is not a battle to beat one's opponent into submission. This...is a fight to the death."

Nicks eyes widened. So he wasn't trying to forcibly take him back...? He was willing to kill him...?!

Before he could question him, Talon was already upon him again, taking a mighty leap in the air. "Falling Penatence!"

"Tch!" Nico quickly activated his Semblance, causing his Aura to flare, and brought up his hands. "Strike Counter!"

The assassin raised his arms and swung them down, threatening to cleave the boy to shreds. Nico brought up one of his armored fists, catching the blow, while countering with a right hook imbued with energy and the added force absorbed from the blocked attack.

Unlike before, this attack did some damage. The blow struck Talon at his abdomen, and sent him flying. However, he regained his balance and landed back on the ground. Steam flowed off of his chest, revealing a slight burn mark.

He raised his hand and gently brushed the wound with his fingertips. Then he raised his head to look at Nico. "...Impressive, young master..."

Nico scowled. "Damn...barely even a wound," he muttered before slowly rising to his feet. "You said this was a fight to the death, isn't that right?!" he called out to his former teacher. "Why?! You told me that you had orders to bring me back! Those disgusting people ordered you to, didn't they?!"

"They did...and they were the final words they would ever utter..."

The boy's blood ran cold, eyes widening. His words brought forth a chilling silence between them.

And that silence was shattered by a loud shout.

"BLOOM BOMBER!"

A red blast of energy descended from above right at Talon. The man jumped back to avoid getting caught by the blast radius. When the arte impacted, an explosion in the shape of blooming rose petals took place. A second later, Ruby landed in front of Nico with Crescent Rose in its scythe form.

"Ruby!" Nico cried in shock. "Why are you...?!"

"The guys thought it might be a good idea to have someone stay behind," she told him, never taking her eyes off of Talon. "I already called up the guys! They should be here in a few minutes!"

Despite the comfort he felt from the fact his friends were coming to assist him...he dreaded what would happen when they would finally arrive. They were going to be up against one of the most dangerous assassins on Remnant.

"Hopefully Eden gets here fast..."

Talon said nothing regarding Ruby's proclamation of reinforcements. Instead, he focused on the battle. Now, two opponents stood before him, yet only one of them had the potential to end him. It was time to see if he could draw out that inner rage. "Young Master..." Talon said slowly as he fell back into a battle stance. "It is time to see...if you can withstand my assault!"

Suddenly, a golden aura danced around the man, as power began to flow around him. Nico recognized this, and cursed. "Nico," Ruby said shakily. "Is...is he?"

"Yeah," he confirmed. "He's gone into Overlimit."

The situation just went from bad to worse.

Wordlessly, the Hawk of the Bodavegs crouched down and dashed forward with speed that put his previous movement to shame.

In a split second, he was right in front of them. "Dual Fangs!"

His clawed hands glowed brightly before becoming encased in twin spikes of pure destructive energy. Ruby used her speed to avoid getting struck while Nico pumped aura into his fists before striking the ground below him, propelling him back.

As they backed away, they followed up with their own attacks. "Sniper Cut!"

"Demon Fist!"

Ruby fired off a bullet encased in energy, only in the form of a slash, while Nico shot forward another strike.

Talon remained unperturbed as the attacks neared him. Once they grew close, whipped his right fist out, dispersing the Sniper Cut Arte. With his left fist, he broke apart the approaching Demon Fist.

The two then followed up. Seeing no choice, Nico had to go in for close-quarters. "Ruby, back me up!"

"Got it!" Ruby nodded. "Let's go for a Link!"

"Right!" The Allium Orbs carried by both teens resonated until they synchronized with one another. A visible beam of light from both of their bodies stretched until they connected with one another.

Talon grunted, as if impressed, before he charged back unto the battlefield. Now, the Berserker and Ruby were once again locked in combat.

"Link" was a term used when two Allium Orbs became connected to one another via spirit-wavelength. A resonance, if you prefer. As the users draw power from the Orbs, the Alluim Orbs also draw power from one another. Thus, when two fighters are "linked," they receive power from each other. Nico and Ruby put this to the test, as they coordinated their attacks, despite having little cooperation tactics with one another. As they charged together towards their enemy, they received feedback, as if to understand each other.

They glanced at each other, nodding, and then engaged. Nico struck first, using Demon Fist. Talon defended against it with ease, and Ruby used the distraction to come in close. Using her Semblance, she swung her scythe. He evaded, jumping over the strike. Nico used the opportunity to attack him while he was left in mid-air. He crouched down, and felt mana gather in his body. "Rising Assault!" The attack was hardly as grand as the name. It was a charged uppercut, followed by a strike while the target was left in the air to dangle, open to attack. The strike was blocked, followed by the second hit, and promptly shoved the boy back with both legs, using him as a spring board to touch back down to the ground.

"Wicked Petals!" Ruby reverted her scythe back to gun form, and shot out several bullets laced with energy. Trailing behind them were rose petals. Talon didn't look concerned as he angled his body, dodging all of them. Nico ran up toward him, jumping up with his fist cocked as if to deliver a hook. Just as the assassin was about to strike back, Ruby came up from behind, her weapon back in scythe form. "Red Nightmare!" With a swing, red energy followed the blade. Talon didn't look concerned, using one hand to defend, while keeping the other ready to repel Nico.

His eyes widened, however, when he saw his runes glowing, and a toothy grin form across his face.

"Beast!"

What Talon did not expect was the Arte boosted by Nico's Berserker Channel. Due to the added strength at the last minute, the assailant misjudged the force behind the attack and his guard broke as a result.

Then, the "link" flared.

The assassin's eyes widened, he knew what was coming.

""Crimson Roar!""

Both teens cried as the power from their respective Artes combined into a linked Arte.

Talon barely had enough time to bring up his defenses, as Ruby let loose a series of bullets, followed by the spectral image of a beast's head turning crimson, crashing straight into him.

He felt the bullets impact his aura while the maw of energy chomped down on his body.

A massive blast erupted right at point-blank range, and threw him right off of his feet, sliding straight into the air and crashing right into the wall.

"Yes!" Ruby cheered as a cloud of smoke began to fill into the hole where the enemy crashed into. "We got him!"

Nico, however, remained weary. That felt almost too easy. 'He was still in Overlimit,' he thought, remembering the golden aura around him. 'Which means...that shouldn't have damaged him much at all.' A curse fell from his mouth as he clenched his fists, preparing for anything. "There's no way that he would go down that easy."

"...incredible, Young Master. To be able to accomplish this, with only a Linked Arte...your first Link at that..." As the smoke cleared, it revealed Talon with his jacket torn to shreds, smoke coming off of his body. "Most impressive." Ruby's eyes went wide in disbelief, while Nico remained steadfast. "If you were to tame the Beast that runs rampant inside of you...then perhaps..."

"Never!" he snarled. "I will never accept that thing!"

The boy shook his head as he flung his arm out in refusal. There was no way in Hell he would accept that part of himself...that monster...

Talon frowned at his harsh proclamation. He was disappointed in Nico...as his denial will only serve to harm himself.

"...very well. Allow me to show you the truth."

Suddenly, the air became charged, and the aura around him grew brighter. Nico's eyes widened, seeing what he was about to do. Before he could warn Ruby, Talon was already in front of him. "Raising Havoc," the man announced, swinging his claws rapidly. Nico let out a cry of pain as he felt his body stumble back.

Then, the aura exploded.

Talon rushed forward and delivered a devastating side kick straight into Nico's stomach, causing the boy to crumple.

"Fangs of the unending hunt!" He jumped back and flickered out of view. He reappeared behind the teen and tore into his exposed back with his sharp claws. He vanished and reappeared again at a different point around Nico before ripping into his flesh again.

"Rip and tear into the flesh of you prey!" He reappeared right in front of Nico and rammed his fist underneath his chin. He followed it up with a knee strike to the chest, a reverse roundhouse kick to the side of the head, and a downward slash with his claws.

"Devour, consume!" He jumped back.

"Lose yourself..." He crossed his arms over his face and gathered energy into his clawed hands.

"...to your howl of desire!" He whipped his arms out and let the power explode. His gauntlets became encased in black energy that took the form of razor sharp claws resembling the hands of a Demon.

"Night Raid Fury!" He raised his arms and broke into a mad dash. Once his target was within range, he swung his enhanced weapons down in an X-formation, appearing as if pure power itself sliced through Nico's body. He appeared on the opposite side of the Berserker, a pattern of glowing black claw marks appearing on his body. Talon stood from his crouch, and with his now normal, armed hand, he snapped his fingers. The glowing marks intensified before exploding, the dark, splatter of blood being visible through the blinding light.

"Grhg...GRAAAAAAAAAH!" Nico screamed as he vomited blood.

"NICOOOOOO!" Ruby cried.

The teen fell down to his knees, blood leaking profusely from his body. The wounds were deep, and his strength was slowly falling away from his limbs. His Aura was completely destroyed. "D-damn..."

He spat out another glob of blood. His vision was starting to grow cloudy.

"...I am truly sorry it had to come to this, young master..." Talon walked up to the Berserker's dying body, a tinge of sorrow and remorse present in his voice. He opened his closed fist, letting the SHING of metal scraping against metal resound in the still night air.

"NICO, NO!"

The teen's eyes simply stared back at Talon, who reared his arm back.

Then, darkness claimed him.

XXXXXXXXXX

"...kukukukuku...so, in the end...you failed once again, boy..."

The Beast was right in front of him again, fangs bared with it's tongue rolling out from it's mouth, voice in mocking.

"You've failed...and the girl will surely die..."

"No! I won't let that happen!" Nico rebuked. But the Beast only laughed at him.

"And what can you do? You are a moment's away from Death, kid. Talon will kill you, then he will kill your little lover and sister."

"I won't let it happen!" he shouted once again. "I'll never let it happen!"

"And how do you propose you do that?" the Beast asked. "In your pathetic state, you wouldn't even be able to hold a candle to him...not unless you accept me!"

"I will never accept you!" Nico cracked his knuckles. "I will never accept a monster like you...I will beat you down and erase you!"

The Beast could only laugh at this. "You? Defeat me? You fail to understand...I am apart of you. I am all that you are, buried beneath that pile of flesh!"

"You are the part of me I will never accept. Since I won't accept you, I just simply have to destroy you!"

Again, the Beast laughed as it stood on its hind legs. "Then go ahead...and try."

 **[Bleach: Hell Verse OST - Incantation]**

Nico dashed forward with his fists raised. He started with a right straight directed at the Beast's face.

The pitch-black wolf gave a throaty laugh as it easily avoided it, jumping over it in a huge arc. 'So fast!' he marveled. Despite it's massive size, it was agile, landing far away from him. It then gave a dark laugh as it slinked into the darkness of the forest around them. His eyes narrowed, and braced himself. 'How strange...I should be nearly dead after Talon's Mystic Arte, yet somehow I feel fine...and now here I am, battling my proverbial inner demon.'

It sure was strange. Did Talon's Mystic Arte knock him to the point of half-death and knock him into a state where he has to go through some sort of emotional and spiritual catharsis?

...well, he supposed it didn't matter. For now, he had to take care of some damned hellhound! He could hear the damned thing laughed as if it were a hyena, prancing around through the forest. He could hear its trampling footsteps, seemingly circling around him.

He was really getting annoyed by this thing's antics. He focused energy into his left fist before swinging it upward. "Demon Fist!"

The blast of energy struck into the forest. The Beast emerged shortly afterward, leaping out from the foliage...and charging towards him.

Its fore legs tore up the ground as it ran on all fours. His maw opened up wide, revealing sharp teeth.

Nico braced himself, and clenched his fists together.

Soon, the Beast was upon him. It pounced and stretched its claws out to his throat.

"Counterstrike!"

Nico used one hand to swat the claws away while his other hand shot forward with the added power absorbed from the Beast's attack.

The strike landed straight to the jaw, and threw the Beast away from him. Like Talon, however, the Beast landed on the ground after regaining its balance. "Was that it?" it jeered. "Come now, surely a Bodaveg can do better than this?"

"Oh, I still got plenty left!" Nico growled, pounding his fists together.

Without waiting for a reply, he charged straight at the beast.

His fists glowed as he summoned power for another arte.

"Cerberus Strike!"

He threw three consecutive punches. The Beast blocked it with his forelegs while the third struck it across the mandible.

Nico winced under the pressure, however. "Ghe?!" When the Beast tried to swipe his claws at him, he jumped away. He looked down at his hand, which trembled. "W-what the...?"

It felt as if he had just struck a solid steel wall. It gave too much resistance to be mere flesh and bone. Just what was this thing made out of?

"Have you forgotten already?" the Beast taunted. "I am all that you are, deep down in that pathetic pile of flesh. For each Bodaveg, a beast hides in wait. You are certainly no different...and the stronger the darkness in their hearts, the stronger the beast is." Its long tongue lapped at it's fangs as it slowly began to circle around Nico. "You have no hope of winning...just accept me. Take my power, and you could crush Talon easily! Even your own blood wouldn't be able to stand against you!"

"...In case you have forgotten...Talon just told me that he killed those bastards..."

"And how can you know for sure?" the Beast continued. "After all, he is but a puppet of the Bodaveg's. A tool for their own personal use. He is but a living corpse that exists only to be used as they see fit."

"It's because I felt dried blood inside the gauntlets he gave me. It took a while to realize...but I now know that it is the blood of my parents."

"...and?" Nico's eyes narrowed. "Again, how can you be so sure? Can you honestly believe what that man tells you? When he left you behind? Left you to rot in the streets with your sister?!" Its tone became scathing, almost putrid, as it ranted. "You once viewed him like a father, more than the man who helped give birth to you...but he did nothing to help you. He stood by and watched!"

"Well then, why didn't he take me back?!" Nico retorted. "He could've put me back in that hell hole, but he didn't!"

The Beast grew quiet at that.

"You don't have an answer to that, huh?" The berserker felt satisfaction at the Beasts silence. "You're right...I did view Talon like my father. He was everything those bastards weren't. If he didn't care about my well being...then why didn't he retrieve me when I first ran away with Celty? He could've dragged me back to that Hell and let Celty be abandoned. But he didn't. He let me go..."

A low growl emanated from the giant black wolf, as Nico prepared himself, clenching his fists tightly. "I don't know what he did...if he really did kill them...but what I do know for sure..."

For a moment, Nico's eyes flashed. Not red, but blue.

"...that he didn't abandon us!" The Berserker rammed his fists together, as his tattoos began to glow. "Come on, ya giant mutt! COME ON!"

The Beast was shocked by the change of color of the boy's tattoos. They weren't supposed to be blue! They were to be red! Red like blood! Enraged, the beast roared and pounced.

Nico jumped up, evading the pounce, and narrowed his eyes. "If you truly are apart of me..." he said slowly as he allowed his Semblance to grow. "Then...perhaps there is some truth to Talon's words about letting my instincts run loose." His tattoos, which were blue, were becoming a darkened color of purple, and a familiar dark aura began to dance around his body. "And right now...my instincts tell me one thing!"

He raised his head, revealing his eyes to be glowing the same color as his tattoos. "...To finally run wild!"

The Beast's eyes widened with outrage. Whenever Nico used his Semblance, he should have been tapping into his own strength, the darkness within his heart...but something wasn't right. He wasn't drawing strength from him.

This shouldn't be happening...this couldn't be happening...! This was impossible!

"GRWROOOOOOAAAAAGH!"

Tired and irritated by this whole thing, the Beast leaped upward, maw agape in order to swallow him whole.

But Nico grabbed the beasts open maw, preventing him from doing so. He leaned back and slammed the monster into the ground.

His body descended back to the ground, clashing into the earth with a thud. The ground beneath him cracked apart upon crashing. His body fell on all fours, almost in the same manner a beast would. Given his appearance, it was hard to differentiate him from the giant wolf in front of him.

'This feeling...it's just...Overlimit!' The beast thought venomously. He would not lose here...he would win and take over!

With a roar, he charged out from his hole, intending on usurping the Berserker.

Beneath the darkness, Nico grinned.

"...time to let loose!"

Suddenly, the air became charged with power.

"Release your Rage!"

The aura around Nico glowed even more intensely, forming the outline of a savage beast.

"Remove the bonds to your fury!"

In a second, he pounced. A powerful strike was delivered to the Beast's jaw, all within a single moment, thrusting the giant creature upward.

"And allow yourself to succumb..."

As soon as they were at the height of their climb, he grabbed the creature by the throat, delivering a punch that destroyed most of the darkness on its face, revealing naught by bloody red bones with black veins. The force behind the punch was enough to send it back down to the earth, causing it to crack.

"...to the primal beast within!"

He crossed his arms over his face, letting the energy to accumulate around him. He then flung them outward, letting the power to release, altering his form to be that of the Beasts.

Its form was nearly identical to the one on the Earth, though it lacked the fangs. Instead, it had sharp rows to mimic them.

"RAGE BREAKDOWN!"

He dives down and slams right on top of the Beast, destroying the ground beneath them.

"GRRRRRWWWWWAAAAAAAOOOOOOOGGGGGHHHHHHHH!"

The cries of the beast were filled with absolute agony and rage.

The earth cracked and broke apart, falling into the blazing oblivion sparked by the Mystic Arte. Soon, everything within the mist-shrouded forest was engulfed in the purple blaze.

The monster was now reduced to a ball of fire that thrashed wildly under Nico's grip.

It's very existence was being burned away. Purged by flames that didn't understand. Flames that shouldn't even exist.

"NO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS, YOU FOOL!" it screamed in vain. "IF YOU ERASE ME, YOU WILL LOSE ANY CHANCE OF DEFEATING THAT MAN! YOU WILL DIE!"

Nico's eyes burned in response, and the pressure increased. The flames grew brighter. "Wrong! I don't need you!" he shouted. "All I need is my friends, my family...and these hands!"

"YOU IGNORANT FOOL! STOP! STOOOOOOOOP!"

"I don't need you...I never needed you...you are just parasite that exists to drive me mad! To make me nothing more than the very people that I hate with all my being!"

The Beast around Nico opened it's own maw, the flames around it forging into fiery fangs.

"Now...DISAPPEAR!"

Then, it clamped it's maw down on the remains of the blackened heart of the Berserker.

XXXXXXXXXX

As soon as a small wave danced through the forest, a pair of mismatched eyes opened. The left eye was blue, and the other, a light shade of green. The owner of these eyes was a woman, a beautiful one. Some may compare her to a goddess given her beauty, possessing golden hair with white streams that faded as they grew closer to her scalp, a heart-shaped face and light pink lips. She wore a flowing white top with the sleeves split open, gold ringlets around her wrists, and baggy black pants. There were dark blue anklets at her feet as well, which had brilliant blue streams connecting to the golden ringlets at her wrists.

Slowly, the woman rose to her feet. As she did, her ringlets jingled, following her movement. She slowly turned her gaze to the world displayed past the luscious green forests, making her way to the edge of the earth beneath her. She paused directly in front of it. Her gaze fell on what laid beyond, feeling a presence being cleansed of its impurity. The gaze became tender, as one hand touched her hand.

"...he is finally free."

XXXXXXXXXX

Before Talon's claws could touch the flesh of his chest, an overwhelming power exploded right in his face, throwing him away.

The Assassin flipped while in mid air and landed on his feet several meters away, an expression of shock evident on his face. What just happened? His Mystic Arte should've decimated his Aura Reserves!

A brilliant light danced around Nico, as his body slowly rose from his feet. As he did so, the bandana around his head went soaring off, plowing into the night sky. Ruby's eyes widened in both awe and relief. He was alright...Nico was okay! And from the look of it...he was about to march off into war. However, she noticed something as he began to rise while the light continued to dance around his body.

Why was his hair bright blue?

It wasn't a sapphire blue like Eden's, more like a vibrant, electric blue...as if it were crackling with energy. The same could be said for the rest of his body, as the tattoos that covered his well-built frame glowed the same color.

The teen's eyes opened, revealing that his normal golden eyes were the same color as well.

"What in the world," Talon gasped as he felt the power radiating from him. "Is this power?"

Nico grinned. Talon's eyes widened when he saw it. It wasn't his usual grin, where he would have a brooding tone to it, or be so grim with it...it was a grin of confidence. "I've decided..." he said with content in his voice. "...to let myself let loose."

Before the Hawk of the Bodavegs could question what he meant, Nico vanished from where he stood and reappeared right in front of him!

"Azure Fang!"

Nico swung his right arm upward in a diagonal motion. In response, a spire of blue mana erupted from the ground and slammed straight into Talon.

The man was completely caught off guard, and was thrown back quite a ways. He tumbled through the ground before becoming reoriented, and came to a halt. Groaning, he shook his head, shaken up by the assault before looking up.

Nico was in front of him again. "Falcon Strike!"

"Wha-?!" Talon barely had time to guard. The Arte came in the form of a forward axe-kick. He brought up his arms, but the impact of the strike forced him down to his knees. Gritting his teeth, he shrugged off the attack, and clenched his fists. "Lion's Howl!" Similar to the Beast Arte, Lion's Howl released the spectral image of a ferocious creature, rearing its head at it's foe, albeit with greater force and power.

Compared to a certain Faunus' own variation of the Arte, however, this barely had any power compared to the other owner of the Arte.

Nico used his legs and arms to block the beast's attack. It threw him back, but he stopped his advance when his feet touched the ground.

The moment he did so, he shot forward again, his fists glowing madly. A grin was present on his face when he stopped, stood his ground, and reciprocated an Arte of his own.

"Lion's Howl!"

Talon's eyes widened. 'When he could he have-?!' He didn't have time to think, as the spectral lion's head was already charging at him. He noticed that its color was much brighter, and it was significantly larger. He tried to deflect the attack, but it was stronger than what he had expected. It collided with him dead on, causing him to stagger.

"Ruby!" Nico called out, taking the distraction to his advantage. The silver-eyed girl blinked, released from her awed trance as she looked at her friend. "You ready to go?"

She smiled brightly, nodding. "You bet!"

The "Link" was reformed. The two then joined together, and charged forward. Talon cursed as he regained his bearings, and charged at them head on, brandishing his fangs. He didn't know where Nico had obtained this strange power, but it didn't matter. This battle was far from over!

 **[RWBY OST - Red Like Roses, Part II]**

Ruby went first and used the recoil from the gunshot from Crescent Rose to boost her momentum. During her advance, she used the weight of the blade to spin around in a frenzy.

"Dancing Scythe Mayhem!"

Talon countered, deflecting the attack. He went for a roundhouse kick, but Nico intervened. He grabbed the man by his ankle, and threw him off balance. However, he was not called the assassin of the Bodaveg family for no reason, as he was able to defend against Ruby's attack. She had tried to knock him out using a bullet, but it whizzed past his head instead. Nico went in close, and reared back his fist. He threw a left hook. Talon tilted his head, dodging it, but the Berserker had grinned as Ruby came up from behind.

"Blooming Blast!" The Hawk turned around for a single eye to face a single bullet packed with crimson power and rose petals.

"Demon Fist!" He destroyed it easily with his own Arte, but he cursed a moment later. Why? Because he was left wide open, an advantage Nico took full advantage of.

"Raging Beast!" In one fell swoop, Nico delivered a devastating blow. Talon could feel the strain in his body. His Aura was nearly depleted. He stumbled back and collapsed onto a knee.

"In...credible..." he panted, looking up at Nico and Ruby, who stood together proudly against him. "It would seem...you've conquered the beast inside you..."

"I have..." Nico clenched a fist. "... It will never bother me again."

Slowly, a smirk formed across the man's face. "I see...good..."

Talon rose to his feet. As he did so, a golden aura began to dance around him. Ruby's eyes widened in horror. "Oh no...he's winding up again."

Nico merely smiled at her. "Don't worry," he told her. "We got this." The aura around him grew brighter, and his hands rammed together. "Here I come, Talon."

The assassin chuckled, much to their surprise. "Very well then..." he fell into a stance with his claws raised. "Come at me with everything you have, young master!"

The two then charged at one another, and struck at the same time.

Their respective Artes clashed before a bright light exploded from their individual bodies.

They were blown away from each other, but were quick to clash again. Fist met fist. Kick met kick. Arte met Arte. Unlike before, where Nico struggled against his mentor on his own, he was fighting toe to toe with him. Ruby looked on in awe.

"W-whoa..." She had to admit, the sight was amazing. It was just like one of those scenes from a comic book where the hero gets a major power up to defeat the bad guy!

But the question was how did Nico get a power up like that when he was supposed to have been on the verge of death?

The teen evaded a strike from Talon's face, and reciprocated with a roundhouse kick. The man blocked the kick, following up with an Arte. "Demon Fist!" he roared, shooting off the attack at point-blank range. Nico evaded it with ease. "Cerberus Strike!" Talon wasn't willing to let up, as he threw three consecutive punches at him. Nico gritted his teeth as he brought up his arms, defending against the barrage. The first and second strikes impacted heavily against his arms, the third was thrown below his guard and struck him in the stomach.

"Ghrk!" The pain lingered in his body, but he ignored it. Talon threw a punch out, but he deflected it. He spun around, and threw a punch of his own. His fist met the forearm of his mentor, but it was slightly shaking, trying to withstand the weight behind the blow. Their Overlimits were reaching their respective ends. Soon, one of them would give out.

But before that would happen, they both decided to settle this fight once and for all. They broke apart clashed again with their respective Artes.

"Raising Havoc!" The attack struck simultaneously. A fierce light burned in between their attacks, struggling as two opposing forces pushed against one another.

Nico's won out. The blast sent Talon flying. The teen' body glowed even brighter, as his tattoos and eyes began to shine even more brilliantly. As Talon touched back down to the ground, panting, he felt the air become charged with power. His eyes growing wide, he looked up, finding the aura around Nico burning even brighter. It was then he knew immediately what the Berserker had in mind.

"I won't let you!" he shouted as power gathered at his hands. "Demon Fist!"

Nico, however, had been encased in the brilliant light, as his expression turned fierce. To Ruby's shock, he destroyed the Arte with ease, slapping it away with a backhand.

Then, he stepped froward.

"Break open the cage to your heart!"

Talon continued to fire a series of rangedArtes, but Nico took all of them head on as he advanced. Pretty soon, he was right in front of his mentor. The Hawk tried to strike with a point blank Lion's Howl, but Nico grabbed his fist mid strike.

"Scream out your heart's true feelings!"

With his free hand, the Berserker delivered a devastating uppercut.

"Let your soul burn ablaze!"

Without even missing the beat, he whirled around on his foot, spinning clockwise to deliver a straight forward punch that sent Talon flying. The man crashed against the wall once more, as he had earlier in their battle. Meanwhile, the aura grew brighter. Even brighter. Brighter still. It was almost like light itself was pouring around Nico's body. Ruby couldn't help but notice that it made him seem more noble, more...angelic, in a sense. Talon gritted his teeth as he stood back to his feet, albeit struggling. This power he had...it was far beyond what anyone from the Bodaveg family could do. Just what on Remnant was it?

Regardless...it was time to end it. He poured whatever mana he had left, allowing dark energy to swirl around his claws. Then he launched himself forward, swinging his claws down. "Night Raid Fury!"

Nico's eyes remained steeled. He stood his ground, clenched his fist, cocked it back...and slammed it straight against Talon's Mystic Arte.

It was destroyed easily. Both Talon's and Ruby's eyes widened upon seeing this.

"Now, rear your head and resound...the outcry of the animal within!"

That was when the retainer of the Bodaveg's saw it. Standing right behind Nico was a spectral image, of a beast clad in bloody red armor, with horns atop its eyes, sword in hand. The phantom reared back its blade, while Nico brought his arms back. In sync, phantom image and warrior, thrust forward, and released the finishing blow.

"BREAKDOWN THE BEAST!"

The spectral blade swung down and impacted right on top of the Assassin. The sheer power behind the blow caused a large explosion. Ruby had to slam her scythe blade to the ground to prevent herself from flying off the roof.

The ground beneath them cracked apart, engulfed by the blue light that exploded right on top of Talon. A powerful shockwave ripped right across the area. Were it not for the Dust-reinforced steel that kept the roof in place, the blast would have caused the roof to collapse and fall apart.

Soon, the light faded.

Talon was thrown all the way across the roof, landing near the fence.

Nico was on his knee, panting heavily. His tattoos faded back into their black color, but his hair and eyes remained light blue.

"Guys, you alright?!" a familiar voice shouted, as the rooftop door was thrown open. Several familiar faces streamed out of the door and into the rooftop. "We saw a bright-hooooooly shit what the fuck did we miss?!"

Eden exclaimed upon seeing the destruction of the rooftop. He along with the rest of Team LNCE, WBY, Team JNPR, Professors Oobleck, Port, Goodwitch, and Maes Hughes entered the area.

Naturally, upon seeing the state of the roof, everyone was equally as shocked. Was all of this caused by Nico's fight with Talon?

"...hahaha..."

Nico's eyes narrowed as he looked up, seeing Talon struggling to his feet. There was a trickle of blood running from the corner of his mouth.

"T-to think...you were capable of this..." he said, his voice slightly slurred. It was painful just to stand. "You have...truly grown strong...Nico..."

The boy's eyes widened. Nico...that was the first time Talon ever called him by his name.

"...looks like it's over now," a worn voice spoke behind the boy. He looked over his shoulder, seeing Kiritsugu standing behind him, his hands stuffed away in his trousers' pockets. "So, Talon...was this Dance Macabre a find send off for you?"

His words and presence stirred surprise in everyone. He knew Talon? Moreover, what did he mean by send off?!

"Indeed...old friend..." The Assassin breathes heavily.

"W-what?" the teen gawked. "D-Dad, what's going on?! How do you know Talon?!"

"...Nico," Talon whispered. "Who do you think...asked him to look after you?"

The Berserker's eyes widened as he whipped his head to Kiritsugu, then to Talon, back to Kiritsugu, then back to Talon again. "W-what...?"

Everyone else's was just as befuddled, save for the adults. Ruby was the first to voice the thoughts of the teens. "Th-then...then that means..."

Kiritsugu nodded. "On the day Nico had run away from his family, in order to protect Celty, Talon had contacted me. He said that two children from the Bodaveg family had run away, and that one of them was going to be thrown out of their family because of her condition." A sigh escaped him. "I never did like the Bodavegs...but neither did I like the idea of a child suffering because of their family."

"O-on that...we agree..." Talon chuckled. "At first, that was all it was to me...a job, nothing more." His eyes soon settled on Nico, who stood back at him in bewilderment. "However, all of that changed...when I met you, Young Master."

"M-me...?"

"Yes...originally, it was my duty to instruct you in combat...but as he years passed, I found myself to be looking after you more and more...almost like a father..." A tired smile formed on his face. "Yet...I followed their orders, and killed many people...women, children..."

Slowly, the assassin of the Bodavegs removed his gloves, taking them both into his hand, and threw them over. They landed at Nico's feet at a clatter.

"Nico," Talon smiled. "Always remember...to trust your instincts."

Before Nico could even question his mentor, Talon pulled out a knife from a sheath strapped at his waist. He flipped it into an overhand grip and plunged the sharp blade through his throat.

Time slowed down for everyone, as the blood gushed out of Talon's throat.

Ruby screamed out in horror.

Weiss's face paled.

Blake's eyes widened in utter disbelief.

Yang's eyes became the size of dinner plates.

Jaune took a step back in horror.

Nora, for the first time, lost her jittery face as she screamed with Ruby, shutting her eyes.

Pyrrha stared back, unable to comprehend the sight.

Ren's face was impassive, but his eyes held great deal of disturb from the act.

Ludger's face was set in disbelief.

Neo shut her eyes and looked away, not wanting to see it.

Cielo screamed with Nora and Ruby.

Eden stared back in shock.

The adults couldn't believe what they had just seen, while Kiritsugu closed his eyes in acceptance, having long already foreseen this outcome.

As for Nico...

"T-Tal...on..."

Tears dripped from his face, eyes wide before he opened his mouth, and screamed.

"TAAAAAAAAALOOOOOOOOON!"

None of them even noticed, sans Kiritsugu...the peaceful smile of content across the man's face as he closed his eyes, and allowed death to take him.

XXXXXXXXXX

A month had passed since the incident. As Nico had believed, his assumptions were correct, as the news soon became plastered with one single headline for weeks:

"The Bodaveg Family Was Murdered"

Their bodies were found weeks after the murder. The causes of death were several stab wounds and slash marks located at the vitals. Based on autopsy reports, the faces of both corpses were slashed apart by five, claw-like cuts. Their throats were torn out by a bladed weapon of some sort. But the most gruesome element to their murder was that their hearts were forcibly ripped out of their ribcages and crushed by hand. Their shredded remains were rotted and barely recognizable. But DNA tests prove that the corpses belonged to the Bodaveg Patriarch and Matriarch.

Nobody knew who the assailant was. Some thought it was the council, who wanted to get rid of a potential threat to their political power. Others thought it was the White Fang, who feared their immense strength. Only a few knew the truth, however, that it had been their own retainer who killed them. He had taken his own life, in order to atone for the sins he committed while serving under them. While many still remember the Hawk of the Bodaveg's as a ruthless monster, Nico and his friends remembered him differently.

He wasn't a killer...he was just a tired, worn out old man.

The young man in question stood up from his bed, garbed in his usual attire. Ruby had managed to find his bandana, which was now tied around his bicep. Strangely, his hair and eyes remained blue, but he didn't question it. If at all anything, he was grateful for the change, given that he inherited the golden eyes from his mother, and the black hair from his father.

No...that wasn't quite right. Ever since that day, he was no longer a Bodaveg. He never truly had the courage to discard that bloodied title until now.

Finally...he was just Nico Emiya.

"Talon," he whispered as he stared at the only memento of his teacher he had; his weapons, repaired and cleaned sitting in a small box. A smile crossed his face as he set a lid over it. "Thank you."

It was a new chapter for him. He was finally liberated of the Hell Hole he was born into and chained to. All because of the one person who looked out for him. The Bodaveg name is now dead. All thanks to their Hawk. He could never thank him enough for what he did.

But he had a feeling, that even though he was dead, he was still looking over him and Celty from beyond the grave.

"Oi, Nico!" Eden called out from the hallway. "Come on! Get the led out! If you wait too long, Ruby here is going to be impatient!"

"Wha-?! I will not!" came the retort from the girl. "Stop making that up!"

Nico laughed lightly. "Alright, alright, I'm coming!"

He turned away from the box and opened the door of his door room leading out to the hall, not once looking back.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Aw man...I'm so hungry... Damn it, Neptune, you suck!"

A blonde teen complained as he rubbed his stomach.

He was sitting on top of what appeared to be a crate, lying atop his back. His attire was rather open, being dark blue jeans rolled up to the calves, his white shirt left open to expose his chest in it's entirety, and a pair of sneakers. Flicking back and forth was a slim yellow tail. He had rather sharp canines as well.

"Seriously..." Sun Wukong groaned. "When the heck are we gonna reach Vale...?"

 **-Nico Bodaveg; the Fated Battle - Unleashing the Beast: END-**

Next Time: Teammate Troubles - Monkeying Around


	12. Chapter 12

**Co-Written with Demons Anarchy of Pride. The creator of many fantastic masterpieces such as: Fire Emblem: Eternity Unto Reformation, Code Geass: Lelouch of the R-eset, The Crow: DxD, Highschool, DxD: Shatter Destiny, RWBY's Reaper, Code Geass 00, Fractured Reality, Code Geass: Suzaku of the Counterattack, Devil Survivor: Destiny Rewind, and some of his new projects, such as Lagrange 111: You Are (Not) Alone, Tokyo Ghoul: A Flowered Colored Darker Than Black, Persona 4: The Unseen Truth, Monarch, Kill the Deadly Sin, Code Geass: The Butterfly Effect, DxD: Final, DC Heroes: FORGOTTEN BLOODSTAINED LEGACY, DxD: Nocturne, Project, A Tale of Three Dragons, A Dragon Darker than Black, Code Geass: Kill the Rebellion, RWBY: Colorless Memories, RWBY: Black Rebellion, RWBY: Final Judgment, and more.**

 **I highly recommend you check them all out.**

 **I really appreciate your help, man. Couldn't have done this without ya!**

 **I also recommend a few stories made by another talented fanfic writer, Otaku-Nation666: Warning Letter, Highschool DxD: Destiny's Play, RWBY Riders: Spirits of Legend, Deadly Sin of the Spriggan, RWBY: Within Enlightened Hearts, Tokyo Ghoul: Wishes of an Eyepatch, Fabulae Parcae, RWBY –Apocrypha-, Tokyo Mirage Sessions: Apocalypse, and more.**

 **Neither of us own any of the characters from other series featured in this fic. They belong to their respective creators.**

 **Thank you to all who continue to support this story. Please Read and Review.**

 **Also…..ALL FLAMES CAN JUST BURN IN HELL!... So don't even bother.**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Chapter 10: Teammate Troubles - Monkeying Around**

The Vytal Festival. A time of festivities and celebration. A time to mark another year of the lasting peace amongst the four Kingdoms. A time to honor the lives lost in the Great War.

Every two years, this competition is held as a reminder for the peace that was fought for so long ago. In this singular competition, the four kingdoms gather, and do battle.

It was because of this fact that Weiss Schnee was currently skipping around town with a wide grin on her face, the rest of Team RWBY, followed by LNCE.

"Isn't this amazing you guys?" The Schnee heiress twirled around as they strolled through the streets.

"What is?" Eden asked rhetorically. "All I see are decorations."

"Oh you know what I mean! This is a momentous Occasion for all of Remnant!" The heiress twirled around again, a bounce in her steps as she trotted along the streets with a wide grin. "The Vytal Festival, an event held once every two years," she recounted with her eyes closed. "A momentous day when the four kingdoms come together, bringing forth their best and brightest Huntsmen and Huntresses in training to test their skills against one another! Even better yet, Mistral's own students are arriving today! Thus, as our duty as students and Huntsmen in training suggests, we should welcome them and-!"

"Weiss," Ludger interrupted with a deadpan expression. "Be honest...you just wanted to spy on them to know what we're up against."

The girl's face blushed furiously as he whirled around, giving them a fierce glare. "Y-you have no proof of that!"

"Oh, I think we do..." Yang replied with a teasing grin. "Though I know where Ice Queen's coming from. It's gonna be one giant party!"

Eden shrugged. "Eh, I'm all for occasions like this," he said before glancing at two members of their group before smirking at their general direction. "Although...the Vytal Festival is nothing compared to when a certain red-cloaked midget finally confessed~"

"WILL YOU JUST STOP THAAAAAT...?!" Said red-cloaked girl screamed as she flailed her arms around in protest.

"Oh, come on, Ruby!" Yang joined in, grinning like a madman. "You should be bragging! I mean, seriously, how many girls can brag that their boyfriend's got a smoking six pack and he isn't afraid to show it?!"

"YAAAAAANG!" Ruby cried out in betrayal. Why was this happening to her?!

Nico frowned heavily as he folded his arms over his chest. "...I don't know what you mean by that comment, Yang, but I would appreciate it if you ceased at once," he requested. "Unless, of course, you want to go for another round of getting your ass kicked."

Ludger and Ruby's faces paled, while Neo and Cielo held up a sign that said, "SHOTS FIRED."

"Please," Yang rolled her eyes. "You got lucky!"

"Your Aura being in the red, and mine in green, says otherwise."

"I-I was having an off day!"

"That was your excuse when you lost. On the subject, why exactly did you challenge me to a fight the other day?"

"W-Well...that's because..." How would she even say it? That she wanted to test him to see if he was worthy enough for Ruby?

"I think it was because of her nature as Ruby' sister," Blake stated, coming to the blonde's rescue. "After all, Ruby means a lot to her, so she naturally wants to see if you're strong enough to look after her." A wry smirk tugged at her lips, as she placed a hand on her hip. "A shame it brought her 10-win streak to an end."

"Don't remind me, Blake..." Yang lamented of her loss. She struggled to rack up all those wins! She even made a bet with Eden that if she got twenty straight victories before the semester was over, he would buy her dinner at the best restaurant in Vale.

Her mouth watered at the prospect of eating some very good food...though because of her protective nature over Ruby, she just had to challenge Nico.

Now, if one is wondering how this all started in the first place...

XXXXXXXXXX

(One Week Ago)

"W-will you...g-g-g-go out...w-with me...?"

Ruby asked as she stood before the mirror in her dorm room. It had been a few weeks since Nico's complete recovery and...Talon's suicide...

Since his return, things had been quite...interesting. It had been quite a while since news spread of the events of the Bodaveg family's death, and naturally, everyone was in quite the uproar. It wasn't just the gruesome death they suffered, but also the information that was leaked to the media regarding the family about their rather shady dealings, as well as potential child abuse. It was a no brainer to know who was responsible for that, which only further served to increase Ruby's respect for the retainer. All of that time, he had been looking out for Nico and his sister, doing whatever he could to help them. She still felt sad that the man had taken his own life, but she was more concerned about Nico, especially after learning the truth.

Upon Yang's suggestion, she had done what she could to help him out during his recovery...though somehow, likely because of her sister, she had found herself now rehearsing her...her...c-con...gah, she couldn't think it! Just thinking about it was enough to make her face burn red!

Why was she even practicing something like this anyway?! She and Nico weren't in that sort of relationship or anything! They were just good friends and fellow weapon fanatics! She remembered when they first bonded over examining the other's weapons...how he managed to discern her personality just from analyzing Crescent Rose...

"...heeeeellooooooo? Earth to Ruby?!"

"Kyah!" The petite girl jumped as she whirled around, standing face to face with her sister. "Y-Yang! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"...I was standing here trying to get your attention for the past few minutes." She deadpanned.

Ruby's face heated up at this. Was she...really at it that long?

"So...how's the confession practice coming along~?" She asked in a teasing manner.

Again, her face heated up. "Shut up!" she shouted in utter embarrassment, wishing a hole in the ground would swallow her up. "This is torture! Torture I tell you! I thought you said we should try and comfort him, not make me ask him out!"

"Aw, come on~ It's obvious you like him, so take a dare! Be brave for once, and ask out the guy of your dreams!" Yang encouraged her before she smirked. "Besides, ever since he got that blue hair and eyes thing going on, a lot of girls have been eyeing that sick six-pack of his A LOT~"

"GAH! SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP...!" Ruby yelled as she pressed her hands over her ears to block out her sister's words. Dammit all, what was with her?! Why did she feel the need to tell her this stuff?! They were only friends! Friends don't need to think about that kind of stuff! It was so...so...wrong...!

...w-well, then again, Nico was very cute-WAIT WAS SHE THINKING?!

She slapped herself on the cheeks. Bad thoughts! Bad!

"Aw, what a cute blush...!" Yang cooed. "It's just as cute as that wet dream you were having about Nico at the hospital!"

"WHAT?!" She shrieked. She has a WHAT dream?! No no nononono! No way! Nuh-uh! Not possible! "Th-That didn't happen! You lie! LIE I TELL YOU!"

The blonde she-devil's grin only grew. "Oh? So it was just OUR imagination that you mumbled, Nico, don't touch me there?"

"GYAGH! SHUT UP! ShutupshutupshutupshutupSHUT! UP!"

Ruby had continued to scream and shout in denial, her face brilliant red. Her face was so red it may as well have been a new color!

She couldn't believe her sister! She didn't have a dream like that! She absolutely didn't! There was no way they-

...wait, THEY?! As realization dawned on her face, so too had the color, replaced by a look of horror. "N-no...no way..."

"Ooooooh yeah," Yang nodded victoriously. "Ludger, Neo, Blake, Weiss...everybody~"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...!" The silver eyed girl wailed in despair. She collapsed onto her knees, then on all fours. Gazing at the floor in lamentation.

This couldn't be happening...this just couldn't be happening! Gah, this was so humiliating! She just wished she could die now! "Ruby?" Her body froze, and her heart began to beat. Oh no...nononono...! "Are you okay? I heard screaming?"

As if Fate was still trying to mess with her, Nico poked his head through the doorway and then stepped into the room.

"And here's the lady-killer now!" Yang giggled. "Alright, I'll leave you love birds be~"

"N-no, wait, Yang-!"

Too late. The brawler was already out of the room, closing the door behind her.

The two teens stared silently at the door, but for different reasons. One stared in despair, the other in confusion. The puzzled teen turned to look at his friend. "What was her problem?"

"Uh-ah-um-ooh..."

Ruby tripped over he words. She couldn't really think at the moment. Why did Nico have to show up NOW of all times? The worst possible moment?!

"Ruby, are you alright?" Nico asked in concern. To her utter embarrassment, he walked over to her, looking at her in the face, and bringing his hand to her forehead. "You feel hot...are you running a fever?"

"N-No! I'm fine! Totally fine! No need to worry about me!"

Nico looked unconvinced. Obviously by her increased body temperature, spiked heart rate, and stumbling words something was definitely wrong, but she kept trying to cover it up.

"...what on Remnant did Yang do this time?" he asked, figuring she must have had something to do with it. "On second thought, forget I asked. Actually...I've been meaning to ask you something."

"Y-yeah?" What did Nico want to ask her about?

"Well..." the Berserker sighed as he scratched the back of his head. "You are aware that my sister is bed ridden, correct?"

Ruby was confused why he was bringing up Celty, but nodded.

"After what happened back at the Hospital, I told her about what happened," he said, kneeling down on the floor. "She...didn't take the news well about Talon." The girl winced. She didn't expect she would. After all, how was one supposed to react to something like that? "It took me a while to calm her down...after that, I told her about everyone here at Beacon."

"O-okaaay, and...?"

Nico sighed deeply. "I...told her about you."

"M-me...?"

"Yes. And after I did, she told me she wanted to meet you in person."

"E-eh?" Ruby blinked. Celty...wanted to meet her? Somehow, she got the feeling that such a meeting would be rather...she wasn't sure how to put it, but she knew that a meeting like that was going to be something...something embarrassing, no doubt. "B-but we're still in the school year, a-and..."

"That's...not the problem," Nico grimaced. "When she said she wanted to meet you in person...she said she would be coming here."

"Wait, I thought she was bedridden!"

"She is...Kiritsugu is bringing her here." Shortly after saying that, the ground beneath them shook. Ruby blinked in confusion, while Nico sighed again, face-palming. "And here she comes, barreling in 3, 2, 1..."

"Big brother~!" A petite figure burst into the room and tackled the tattooed teen to the ground.

Ruby couldn't help but blink. Celty was...not what she was expecting. Actually, she wasn't sure what to expect, other than what Nico told her that she was like Nora only bedridden. The girl was certainly short, standing at '5, 2" ft, shorter than even she was, and her appearance was nothing like Nico's. She had shoulder length bright pink hair and dark blue eyes, and her clothes were haphazard to say the least. She wore a pink pajama top with only the top button laced through the loop with two laces having a puffy white ball at the end and the collars overturned for a white color, possessing frilly white laces along the seams. Stranger still were the fact that she wore a plain white bra for all to see, and white bloomers with white stockings.

...wait, bloomers?! Bra for all to see?!

"I missed you, big brother!" Celty Bodaveg, or rather, Celty Emiya, said happily with a wide smile, hanging unto his waist. "Ooh, you got even bigger!"

Nico sighed. "...Celty?"

"Yes, Nico?"

"...why are you still in your pajamas?"

"Teehee~ I woke up late and didn't have time to change. I just wanted to see you!" She giggled.

"...Celty, your underwear is showing, again." He pointed out.

"Aaand?" She wiggled her eyebrows.

"...It's good to see you too, Celty." Nico patted her on the back.

Ruby gawked. "A-ah...um..."

She couldn't help but stutter as this...situation...was pretty bizarre.

Ruby's stutter caught Celty's ears. She whipped her head around, and grinned. "Oh oh!" In a split second, she was gone from Nico's waist, and in front of the girl. "You're her! Ruby Rose! You're her, right?! Please tell me you're her!"

"Y-Yes! Yeah, that's me..." She responded. Nico was right. Her excitement is almost on par with Nora's.

"I KNEW IT!" Celty exclaimed, practically shaking. "You have NO idea how long I've wanted to meet you!"

"Y-yeah...?"

"Of course! I've been dying to meet the girl who captured my adorable big brother's heart~!"

The silver eyed girl sputtered. She...she captured Nico's heart?! What?!

Nico, for his part, blushed heavily and looked away.

The very action by the Berserker surprised Ruby, as he typically wasn't one to display his emotions like that. Heck! He wasn't even aware of such feelings a month ago! So...was it true...? That...that he had a crush on her?

"He wouldn't shut up about you" Celty added more fuel to the fire, as Nico looked vastly more uncomfortable. "Every day he sends me letters about how well he's doing here, and they always involve you one way or another!"

"He-He does...? They do...?"

"Yep!" She nodded energetically. "The more I learned about you, the more I wanted to meet you in person!"

Stars lit up in her eyes as she leaned in closer to Ruby. "That's why, I have a very very VERY importantion question to ask you!"

"W-what is it...?"

What came out of Celty's words were...more than surprising, to say the least.

"Will you please marry Nico?!"

XXXXXXXXXX

(Present)

"I still gotta say," Eden snickered. "That sister of yours is a hoot!"

Nico sighed, still troubled by that memory. "Can we...please drop the subject?"

"Sorry bud...but it's still pretty funny. Talk about escalating quickly..."

"I don't even want to imagine what it would be like if she ever met Nora..." Nico felt a shudder run down his spine. "God help us if she does."

"You and me both..." Ruby muttered.

"Well as...interesting...as this conversation has been going..." Ludger interjected, eliciting a silent thank you from the young couple. "...What exactly were we talking about again before we went off on a tangent? The Vytal Festival?"

Weiss huffed. "Now you get back on track!" she said, clearly angry that they were going off on another topic...as amusing as it was to hear that Ruby and Nico finally got together. "As I was saying-!"

"Hey," Yang called out. "What's that?" The group followed to where she was pointing at. There was a small group of people gathered near one of the nearby shops. Curious, they went over to see what was going on. To their surprise, the area around a nearby store was blocked off by yellow caution tape, and several officers were roaming around, investigating the scene. "Whooaa, what happened here?"

"A robbery, maybe?" Eden asked. "Definitely looks like it."

One of the detectives groaned as he walked up to what they assumed to be his superior officer. "Man, what is with this spree lately?" he asked in exasperation. "How many shops does this make now?"

"Here's what I wanna know," the officer replied back. "Why the hell are they stealing Dust? Why not cash?"

"You thinking White Fang?"

"I'm thinking we don't get paid enough for this shit."

"You know...It kinda makes you wonder where all the good, competent cops are after seeing those guys..." The Blue Devil commented as he shook his head.

Blake on the other hand snapped to attention. The White Fang?

Weiss growled. "The White Fang..." she spoke the name with contempt. "What an awful bunch of degenerates!"

"What's your problem?" Blake asked, raising an eyebrow when she noticed the hostility in her teammate's voice.

"My problem? I simply don't care for the criminally insane."

The amber-eyed girl's eyes narrowed. "The White Fang isn't a bunch of psychopaths. They're a collection of misguided faunus."

"Second to that," Eden raised his hand in agreement. "Though, if you really want a psychopath, look no further than a certain red-haired Bull."

The rest of the group looked at the Blue Devil, most of them in confusion. "...Are you referring to the swordsman you told us about the other day? The one where you had to flee from to avoid getting killed?" Nico asked.

"Yeah. He was pretty pissed that I killed all his comrades..."

"...the comrades you agreed to that they were a bunch of misguided Faunus..." Ludger pointed out. "If you thought they were misguided, then why did you kill them?!"

"Leader," Eden shook his head. "Those guys weren't misguided...they were a bunch of guys so engrossed in hate they wouldn't listen to reason. Most guys in the Fang are misguided, but people like those? ENTIRELY different story."

"See?" Weiss smirked, almost tauntingly so. "Even Flaemis here agrees that they're degenerates who want to wipe humanity off the face of the map!"

"Whoa, hey now," the blue-haired teen frowned. "I never said I agreed with you. On the contrary, I rather like Faunus."

"What?" The heiress questioned. "But you said-"

"I said MOST of them are misguided. There are only some that actually do want to kill all of humanity. But who could blame them? Even after the Great War, and Faunus were given laws to be treated as equal citizens, they are still treated as second-class citizens. They are discriminated; hated, scorned...the list goes on. How would you react if you were treated the same way? The way I see it, the members of the White Fang that are misguided couldn't see any other way. All they wanted was true equality. To be accepted by society." The Blue Devil told her.

"However, the guys that usurped the former leadership of the organization and turning it from peaceful protests to organized terrorist attacks? Yeah...those guys are so full of hate and set on their ways that there is no hope of convincing them. That's why I had to take their lives...so they couldn't hurt anymore innocents. They don't even realized what they are doing is merely adding fuel to the fire. The more damage they do, the more hatred Faunus as a whole has to endure by humans. The Faunus aren't monsters that humanity thinks they are. I should know. My best friend was a Faunus..."

This caused everyone, except for Yang, to stare in bewilderment. Blake looked the most effected by that statement, as her eyes bore into him with shock. Weiss frowned heavily, and opened her mouth to say something in retort, but Ruby was quick to get in between them. "W-whoa, hold on now," she said, trying to stop a fight between her friends. "L-look, I don't think the White Fang is behind this. I mean, think about it! Why rob a Dust shop? It could be Torchwick for all we know!"

"That still doesn't change the fact that the White Fang are a bunch of scum!" Weiss snapped.

Eden groaned, face-palming. Did NOTHING he say get through to her? "Okay, princess-"

"All they know is how to lie, cheat, and steal!"

Yang furrowed her brows, also becoming disturbed by Weiss' blatant discrimination. "That's not true, Weiss."

As Weiss was about to open her mouth, a shout echoed from behind them. "HEY, STOP THAT FAUNUS!"

The group ceased their discussion and turned around to face the city docks. On the deck of the newly docked ship, a young man around their age garbed in a white shirt and jeans ran. The most distinguishing feature about him was the golden monkey tail trailing behind him.

Eden's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, is that...?"

As the monkey faunus ran through the boardwalk, he eventually reached the railing, jumping on top of it. He then turned and grinned at the men chasing him. "Thanks for the ride, guys!" he said with a wink before leaping off, and landing straight unto the docks. The men ran to the edge of the docks, and scowled.

"You no good stowaway!"

"Hey!" he called back over his shoulder. "A no-good stowaway would have been caught! I'm a GREAT stowaway!"

Eden chuckled. "Yep," he nodded. "That's Sun, alright."

"Wait, you know that guy?" Ludger asked in surprise. "Is he the friend you mentioned?"

"Nah, he's an old buddy of mine I met back when I was in Vacuo doin' a job. Funny enough, we met while he was running away from some cops after stealing a bag of bananas." The group stared at him. "What? A monkey's gotta eat!"

"But not by stealing! Couldn't he have paid for it?" Ruby questioned.

"See? My case in point." Weiss huffed.

"Well, didn't really help by the fact that the cops chasing him were racist as fuck, especially when I found out later that the guy who Sun stole from actually didn't mind." The group had a collective "question mark" above their heads. "Sun likes bananas...a LOT. Old guy didn't really care much, but two pricks did because he was a Faunus."

"You don't say," Nico hummed.

As they conversed, Sun dropped down from the lamppost he was previously hung from a threw a banana peel at a police officer before breaking out into a sprint. As he passed by the group, time seemed to slow down for him and a certain girl clad in black. In that brief moment, Sun winked at her before venturing further into the City. Blake was surprised by the sudden action, but didn't think too much of it.

"Well, there he goes…" The Berserker stated before turning to Weiss. "By the by...given that he's apparently from Vacuo, wouldn't that make him one of the students you were supposed to greet?"

Weiss' eyes went wide, and immediately took off in a run. "Quick!" she shouted. "We have to observe him!"

"Well, she sure changed her mood quickly..." Yang commented as she and the others followed suit.

"Tell me about it...Eden shook his head. "And did nothing I say get into that thick, closed-minded skull of hers?"

Yang let out a laugh. "Pretty sure it didn't."

The group chased after the Faunus named Sun, though when they rounded the corner, Weiss unintentionally slammed into someone. "Oof!"

She stumbled back, but Ruby and Cielo managed to catch her. "Wh-what the?"

"Uh," Yang blinked as she looked down, pointing at Weiss feet. "Weiss?"

The girl looked down...and found someone on the ground, smiling as she waved at them. "Salutations!"

She was a girl around their age with short, curly orange hair that came down to her chin with a pink bow in her hair. Her eyes were open wide and bright green. Her complexion was light, with freckles dotting across her nose. She was garbed in a rather old-fashioned, beige blouse with short, feminine overalls colored gray with bright green highlights. She wore a black and green collar with a matching pair of stockings. She had a joyful expression on her face as she observed the group.

The group blinked. "...you..." Blake said slowly. "...do realize that you're on the ground, right?"

"That I am!"

Ruby frowned in concern for the girl. Perhaps Weiss knocking into her caused her mind to end up jumbled. "Do you...want to get up?"

"Yes, please!" Ruby and Ludger assisted in helping her up back to her feet, where she proceeded to dust herself off. "Thank you very much!"

"Er, sure..." Ruby said awkwardly as she rubbed the back of her head. "Oh, I'm Ruby."

"Weiss," the heiress introduced, feeling slightly guilty over bumping into her. Unfortunately, much to her own ire, because of that, she had lost sight of Sun.

"Blake."

"Did you hit your head?" Yang asked, receiving a thwack from Blake. "Sorry. I'm Yang."

The silver-haired teen chuckled. "I'm Ludger," he said in greeting. "A pleasure."

"Nico," the tanned teen bowed.

"I'm Cielo~" the blue-haired girl grinned, holding a victory sign.

"Eden's the name."

The tri-colored girl simply shrugged. "...Neo."

"My name is Penny! It is a pleasure to meet all of you." The new girl smiled happily.

"W-Well, sorry for bumping into you." Weiss apologized.

Ruby bowed. "Take care, friend." she said as they turned around, having other plans in mind, such as exploring the city and hoping to find Sun again. As they turned away from Penny, Yang looked at LNCE and RWB. "Well, she was...weird."

"More like airheaded," Eden remarked. "I dunno 'bout you guys, but something about her seemed off to me."

"Now..." Weiss frowned heavily. "Where did that Faunus riffraff run off to?"

"...what did you call me?"

The group practically jumped out of their skins, as Penny stood in front of them with steely eyes. Weiss' eyes widened, looking back to where they ran into her, then back at Penny, then back to where she was before. H-how? How was she even able to move so quickly without them noticing her?

"Oh, I'm really sorry," Yang winced apologetically. "I really didn't think you heard me!"

Penny shook her head. "Not you," she moved past Yang, and went straight for Ruby, who immediately went frigid. Nico narrowed her eyes at the girl as he clenched his fists. If she tried anything... "You!"

"M-me?" Ruby squeaked. "I-I uh, ah um...!"

"You called me...friend," Penny started with narrow eyes. "Am I really your friend?"

"U-Uh..." Ruby stuttered in uncertainty. She looked past Penny's shoulder and over to her team mates and friends. Weiss, Blake, and Yang waved their arms no. Ludger looked reluctant. Cielo was nodding her head energetically. Eden simply shrugged. Neo shook her head and held up a sign that said: Say No! Nico looked Penny with a questioning look on his face, as if contemplating a proper response. In the end, Ruby decided.

"Yeah. Sure. Why not?" She smiled, causing the ones who were against the idea to fall backward in disbelief.

Penny on the other hand, was simply ecstatic as she raised her arms up in joy before fist-pumping. "Sen-Sational! We can paint out nails! And try on clothes! And talk about cute boys!"

The silver-eyed girl blinked. She had a strange sense of deja vu as she looked at Weiss. "Was I...like this when we first met?"

"No," the girl responded. "She seems far more coordinated."

"So..." Yang decided to strike up a conversation now that things became like this. "What are you doing in Vale?"

"I'm here to fight in the tournament."

"Wait...you're fighting in the tournament?" The heiress questioned, a bit of skepticism in her voice.

"Yes! I am combat ready!" Penny responded with a salute.

"Forgive me but, you hardly look the part..." Weiss voiced her doubts.

"Says the girl wearing a dress?" Blake responded in kind.

"It's a combat skirt." She countered. In a flash, Ruby slid right next to her.

"Yeah." She voiced in agreement. Weiss held her arm out for a low five that Ruby met.

A second later, however, the heiress' eyes lit up with realization. "Wait a minute," she said as she drew closer to Penny. "If your here to fight in the tournament...then does that mean you know that monkey-tailed rapscallion?"

Blake's eyes narrowed, and bared her teeth. "Weiss..."

"The who?"

"The filthy Faunus from the boat!"

The black-haired girl snapped.

"Why do you keep saying that?!"

"Huh?" Weiss turned to look at her.

"I'm just confused where she got that picture..." Ludger sweatdropped as he noticed the poorly drawn picture of Sun in the heiress' hands.

"Stop calling him a rapscallion! Stop calling him a degenerate! He's a person!" Blake snapped at her with each step closer.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Would you like me to stop referring this trash can as a trash can, or this lamp post as a lamp post?" Weiss retorted after gesturing to the aforementioned items.

"Stop it!"

"Stop what? He clearly broke the law! In time, he will probably join up with the other Faunus in the White Fang."

Blake growled, almost like an animal, as she glowered at the heiress. "You ignorant little-!"

"A rather troubling sight, this is," a booming voice proclaimed as someone stepped toward the group, gathering their attention. While most of the students of Beacon failed to recognize him, Blake, Ludger, and Weiss did, and felt themselves straighten. "Teammates, bickering...it's a sign of poor communication skills, something that will prove to be quite disastrous. Please, do take note of that, Miss Schnee, Miss Belladonna."

Penny's eyes widened, and performed a salute. "Salutations, President Bisley Bakur!"

"And salutations to you as well, Miss Polendina." The man greeted in kind with a cordial smile. He was a giant, standing at an imposing height of seven feet, his gray hair swept back and a sharp beard etched onto his face, old and worn with strength and power. He wore a formal black suit underneath a red coat, though not even the clothes he wore could contain his muscular form.

As soon as Penny spoke the man's name, everyone became aware of who he was. "B-Bakur?" Ruby gawked. "As in, Bisley Bakur?! The CEO of Spirius?!"

"Correct, Miss Rose," Bakur nodded. He then leaned in a bit, scrutinizing Ruby's features, and then looked at Yang. A worn smile spread across his face. "Amazing...it's almost as if I were looking at a younger Summer Rose and Raven Branwen."

This definitely caught the attention of both girls, their eyes grew as wide as dinner plates.

"Y-You...knew our moms...?" Yang was the one to ask.

"Of course. You could say we have quite a bit of history, along with your father and Qrow Branwen as well..." He then turned over to look at Nico. "I see that the remnant of the Bodaveg Clan is doing quite well. If it weren't for your new hair and eye colors, I could almost mistake you for a younger version of your father...But that's the only similarity I would see. You are a much better person than that insufferable bigot." The President's eyes were then trained on Eden. "And you resemble quite a bit like your father, Azure Flaemis. You have my condolences for your loss."

Eden blinked, clearly taken by surprise, and for a moment, felt shyness overtake him as he bowed his head with Nico, who was happy to hear those words from someone as esteemed as Bakur. "T-thank you, sir."

Bakur smiled, and then looked to Ludger, who felt very nervous. "And you..."

"Y-yes...?"

Bakur stepped in front of the teen, causing him to be further nervous. The others were equally so, as they felt their palms sweat. The man stared back at Ludger, who felt more and more nervous. It was as if he was being evaluated. Judged. Observed. Eventually, the man spoke.

"I...don't suppose your Juluis' younger brother...?"

Ludger's and Neo's eyes widened. Initially, he was surprised. But then he remembered that Julius is the Crown Agent of Spirius, so it would be obvious that they knew each other. "Y-Yes. That's me..."

"I thought so." The man grinned. "I can honestly see the resemblance between the two of you."

That definitely seemed to spark some hope in Ludger, as his eyes it up. "R-really?!"

"Indeed." The President of Spirius patted him on the shoulder. "I see great potential in you. Who knows? Maybe you will rank equal to, if not surpass Julius in the future. Maybe even take up the title of the Victor Agent..."

Ludger's eyes shot wide open, as did everyone. The meaning behind Bakur's words were not lost to them. The man was offering Ludger a chance to become a Spirius Agent...just like Julius.

Spirius Agents were nothing like Huntsmen. They were elite, strong, and powerful, working underneath a single company that was just as powerful, if not more so, than the Schnee Dust Corporation. Each member was divided into ranks, with the highest being Crown, and Victory. Julius Kresnik held the title of Crown Agent, and as far as Ludger knew, no one held the position of Victor yet. It was a testament to just how strong he was, and how much Ludger aspired to be like his older brother.

"Well, I need to head to a meeting," Bakur said as he turned away. "I hope you all have a pleasant day."

"W-wait a moment, Mr. Bakur!" Weiss called out with the utmost respect, stopping the man. "H-how do you know about us?"

The man smiled at the group. "Ozpin and I are...old friends," he said simply. "That, and I like to keep an eye on Beacon's most promising students."

With that said, he was gone.

The students of Beacon were left in stunned silence. Did...that really just happen?

Penny on the other hand waved her farewells.

"...okaaay that was weird," Yang commented as she looked at the group. "So...who was that guy?"

Weiss stared at the woman as if she had grown a second head. "Are you serious?!" she cried. "That was Bisley Bakur! He's the CEO of the Spirius Corporation!"

"Yeah!" Ruby exclaimed in agreement. "He's the one who led Spirius for twenty years, making it the massive corporation that it is today! They specialize in weapons manufacturing, research and development, dust processing, the list goes on!"

Yang deadpanned. "Still got no idea."

Ludger sighed. "It's the same company my brother works for, Yang!"

"...Ohh..." The brawler nodded in realization. "Now that you mention it...it does sound familiar..."

"Seriously, how do you not know this?" Weiss questioned.

"Eh, what can I say?" the lilac-eyed girl shrugged. "Don't really pay attention to this kind of stuff."

The group sweat-dropped at her response. "Well," Eden clapped his hands. "I dunno about you guys, but I think I've had enough of touring the festival. Now, I want to eat."

"Yeah," Nico took out his Scroll, checking the time. "It's just about lunch time, isn't it?"

"As much as we'd like to join you guys," Ruby said. "We kind of have to get back to Beacon. After all, we have to do homework."

"Alright, see you girls..." Eden paused. "…and Ice Queen later."

"Stop calling me that!" She yelled at him. The Blue Devil simply stuck out his tongue and strolled away.

Nico bowed his head to the group, and smiled at Ruby. "I'll see you later, Ruby," he promised as he followed his teammate. The silver-eyed girl blushed lightly. Eventually, Team RWBY also left, leaving only Ludger, Neo, and Cielo.

"Well, guess it's just us three," he noted as he looked at the two. "What do you guys wanna do?"

Neo held up a sign that said: get some Ice cream.

Cielo held up a similar sign that said ICE CREAM FOR LIFE!

Ludger mentally took note of how the two females of his team had such similar mindsets before chuckling. "Alright. Ice cream it is then."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Yay, ice cream~" the dark blue haired girl cheered as she trutted forward, swinging her legs up into the air with each step. "Ice cream~ Ice cream~ Everyday's great with ICE CREAM~!"

The tri-colored haired teen sighed. "...Tico?"

"Yes, Caius?"

"Can you please stop singing about ice cream?"

"Teehee~ Okay~" the girl mock saluted and stuck out her tongue.

"Honestly..." Caius shook his head. "I know you're excited, but there's no need to make such a commotion out of it. We're almost there anyway."

The three siblings had left their apartment not too long ago, though Tico had sung all the way there. Caius was growing somewhat irritated with her, while Elle herself was enjoying it.

"Aw...but I wanted to hear more. Big sis is a good singer!" Elle smiled happily.

"You may think so," her older brother frowned. "But the song she sings is obnoxious."

"Awww...they're not that bad!" Tito pouted childishly.

"Yes, they are." Caius deadpanned before looking at Elle. "You made sure you had everything, right?" he asked. "Even a dagger in case something happens?"

Elle nodded with a wide smile. "Of course!" she said, her face brimming with pride. "I mean, I'm not good with a knife or anything, but I can take care of myself!" Her smile became a grin, putting her hands on her hips. "Plus, I've got my super special lucky charm!"

"Oh!" Tico whirled around, now walking backwards with a starry look in her eye. "You mean Dad's watch, right?"

"Yep!" Elle nodded. "It's right..."

She went to grab the item in question that was wrapped around her neck...only to grasp at nothing but air.

"…huh?"

The girl looked down and her expression shifted to one of horror. Their dad's pocket watch was gone! She grew frantic. She patted herself down, checking to see if she simply misplaced it. her panic grew when she came up empty. This couldn't be happening! It was just there a minute ago!

"Wh-where is it?!" she cried in panic. "I-I know I had it! It was right with me when we left!"

Tico's eyes softened in concern. This was bad...out of the three of them, Elle was still the most emotionally fragile, as the pocket watch was their only real possession left behind of their father. The fact that it was gone was not good. As she was about to move to comfort her, her eyes caught sight of movement off to the side.

It was a light blue feline with a black tail and paw, and dark red eyes, and it's mouth was a familiar golden pocket watch.

"UWAH!" she cried comically, pointing at the cat. "Elle, look!"

The petite girl turned around and stood attentive. it was her daddy's watch! "Hey! Give that back!" She yelled at the cat, who was startled by her shout and ran away. "Get back here! That's my daddy's watch!" She chased after the thieving feline.

"Elle, wait!" Caius chased off after her.

"Don't run off without us!" Tico followed suit.

As they chased after it, however, they failed to notice that their actions had drawn attention from two people.

"What the heck was that about?" Emerald questioned as she took a sip of her coffee.

Mercury shrugged. "Dunno," he answered as he flipped the page of his comic book. "Anyway...what's the word from Cinder?"

"Not yet." She shook her head.

"Ugh, boring..." the male groaned. "Seriously, what's she doing? Sucking face with Hyakuya?"

"Don't let her catch you say that...otherwise she'll burn your face off..."

"What?" Mercury raised an eyebrow, lowering his comic book. "You know it's true! Seriously...how'd those two even meet anyway?"

Emerald shrugged. "Heck if I know," she answered. "Besides, I doubt it's any of our business. All that matters is making sure the White Fang cooperate, and finding the other two Horsemen."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Ice Cream~ Ice Cream~" Cielo giggled as she skipped ahead of the two. "I can't wait~!"

"Easy there, Cielo..." Ludger laughed. "I know you're excited, but we're almost there."

"Aww come on, Ludges!" the girl grinned. "Ice cream is awesome! Just like Neo is! Just look!" She blitzed right next to the tri-colored girl, gesturing to her hair and eyes. "She's got ice cream colors!"

Neo gave the girl a stink-eye, and tapped her parasol against her hand, as if warning the girl to stand back, lest she deal with her. Cielo didn't seem to understand the message, as she was gone in a split second, now next to Ludger. With a flourish, she was on top of the boy, now sitting on his shoulders. "H-hey!"

"Onward, young Huntsman!" Cielo declared, pointing a finger towards the horizon. "To the ice cream parlor!"

Ludger sighed. "...Mielo, can you tell Cielo to get off me?"

As if in response, the azure haired girl slumped forward on his shoulders as if she fell asleep before sitting upright. She disappeared and reappeared right next to her team leader. "My apologies for her behavior. But this child just loves to have fun."

"Don't I know it..."

Ludger sighed. After knowing Cielo for this long, one would think he would be used to her behavior. He still is not.

Neo frowned at the girl's change of behavior, tilting her head. She signed at Ludger, 'What's up with her?"

The boy rubbed the back of his neck. What was he supposed to say? "Someone!" a girl's voice cried. "Stop that cat!"

"Huh?" The trio turned their heads to the source of the noise. They noticed a little girl with a yellow backpack and pink jacket chase after a light blue cat with what appeared to be a gold pocket watch with a brown cord tied to it in its mouth.

Ludger's eyes widened when he saw it. "Wait a minute," he gasped. "That's Julius' pocket watch!" Neo's eyes widened in shock, and her eyes snapped to the cat. It had Julius' pocket watch?! How?! Where did it get it?! The two then chased after it, running at full force. They didn't know where it got Julius' pocket watch, but they weren't about to let them steal it!

"Stop that cat!" the girl cried. "It has my daddy's pocket watch!"

"What?" Ludger questioned in shock. Her father's pocket watch? But...it looked exactly like Julius's!

He didn't think to question it. Instead, he chased after it quickly, running as fast as possible. Neo followed with him, folding her parasol.

Mielo silently followed as well. If it was something that got her two team mates flustered, it must be something serious.

The girl as quick to follow behind the three. They were unfamiliar to her, but they were willing to help her catch the cat that stole her father's pocket watch!

They turned around the corner of the block in their pursuit. As they did, Caius and Tico appeared from behind the opposite corner.

"Where did she go?" The male questioned.

"I think she went that way!" The girl pointed to their right where the Beacon students chased after the cat.

The two booked straight towards them, but as they did, a group of men blocked their way. "Hey, you two..." It was a gang of thugs, by the look of 'em. They were all dressed in ragged and roguish attire, with matching black jackets with silver trims, an insignia of birds branded on the back. They all had viscous smiles, as they brandished their weapons, ranging from swords to lead pipes to bats. "You don't look from around here," the leader of the group growled, wearing a pair of black sunglasses. "And you know what that means?"

The boy frowned. "No...what?"

"It means you gotta pay a toll. Ya know...as a welcome." He then extended his hand with the palm up. "So pay up. Otherwise ya suffer the consequences!"

Caius sighed in aggravation, closing his eyes. "I have no time for this," he said before he opened them again...only instead of green eyes, one eye was white and the other pink. "Tico."

"Right." His sister nodded as she pulled out two short swords from the sheaths strapped to her back.

This caught the thugs by surprise, but they quickly became tense, especially as Caius took out his own weapon...a katana with an unearthly design. There were signs of electricity cracking around the hilt of the blade. "I'm looking for my little sister," he stated with a steely voice. "Now, if you would be so kind... GET THE HELL OUT OF MY WAY."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Gotcha!"

Ludger cried as he grabbed the feline culprit and lifted it off the ground. The little animal flailed in his grasp, but he held on.

"YES~!" Cielo cheered, having regained control of her body as she pumped her hands in the air. Neo, meanwhile, held up the "v for victory" sign. "Target captured!"

"Yay! Thank you!" Elle cheered. "Now I can get daddy's watch back!"

The teen smiled kindly as he kneeled down. Elle then took the watch, albeit with some difficulty, from the cat's mouth. As she did so, Ludger got a look at the watch. Sure enough, it was the same one his brother hand. But...how was that possible? Even Julius said that such a watch couldn't be found anywhere, almost like it was one of a kind. Just where had she obtained this?

"Whew!" the girl sighed in relief as she put the watch around her neck. "Thanks!" She then gave the cat in Ludger's arms a glare. "And no more stealing from you, Mr. Cat! This is important to me!"

"Meow~" The cat mewled as it wriggled out of the white haired teen's grip and landed on its feet. It then took off into a run, passing the teens and child. "Bye bye kitty~" Cielo waved at the cat as it ran away.

"Well, as Yang would say; that was a thing." Ludger shrugged.

Elle tilted her head. "Yang?"

"A friend of ours," he answered before he kneeled down. "Anywho...sorry for asking this out of the blue, but where did you get that watch?"

The girl frowned heavily, holding the watch protectively. "You can't have it!" she said with fervor. "This is daddy's watch!"

"N-no. That's not what I meant. It's okay." Ludger told her, holding up his hands in a sign of surrender. "I wasn't going to ask for it. I was just curious where you got it. My older brother happens to have one that looks just like it."

The girl's eyes widened. "Wait, really?!"

This was a surprise to her. She always thought her father's pocket watch was one of a kind. That was what he told her. But this man's brother had one just like it?

"Yeah," Ludger nodded before he smiled. "Anyway...I'm Ludger. This is Cielo and Neo."

The blue-haired girl grinned, waving at her while Neo gave her a passing glance. When Elle saw Neo, her eyes widened. "Whoooaaa, you look like Caius!" she remarked, earning a confused look from the two. "With the hair, I mean."

"Ooh, there's someone else with ice-cream hair?!" Cielo asked, stars twinkling in her eyes. "I gotta meet them!"

"There is?" Ludger asked with a raised brow. Someone with the same colored hair as Neo? He thought she was the only one. After all, it was a pretty unique hair color.

"Yep! He's also my big brother!" Elle smiled.

Neo raised an eyebrow, and signed at Ludger. Elle was confused, as she didn't understand sign language, but Ludger translated. "She's asking where your brother is."

"Oh, he's..." Elle looked behind her, as if expecting them to be there...only to see empty space. Her eyes became as large as dinner plates. "...AAAAAH! W-where are they?! I could have sworn they were right behind me!"

"Well, I'm sure they're still looking for you." Ludger tried to calm her down. He assumed that Elle had outran her brother as she chased the cat, and he lost sight of her. Wait...they? "Uh, little girl, who do you mean 'they'? Was there someone else with your brother."

The girl turned to face him. "My name is not 'little girl'. It's Elle. And yeah...my big sis was also with me, too..."

"What do they look like?"

"Well..." Elle tilted her head. "Caius looks like your friend with the ice cream hair, but he's taller. Like, really tall! And as for my big sister, Tico..." A weak chuckle escaped her. "She's...not hard to miss."

"Huh...well, why don't we go looking for them?" Ludger suggested, surprising her. Neo gave him a startled look, which he noticed as he looked at his childhood friend. "What? Would you leave her alone?"

The tri-colored haired girl looked reluctant. She didn't want to leave the girl alone...especially not with criminals like the White Fang and Torchwick running about...

Eventually, she sighed. "...fine."

"Then it's decided~" Cielo grabbed the wrists of her friends and raised their arms to the air. "Time to look for little Elle's family~"

Elle's eyes widened and a happy smile broke across her face. "Really?!" she cried before raising her hands high into the air. "Thank you!"

The girl failed to notice the faint glow around the pocket watch.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I don't understand why this is causing such a problem!"

"That IS the problem!" Blake yelled harshly. She and Weiss had returned to Beacon with Ruby and Yang and have continued their argument from earlier. Their team mates watched from their end of the room, looking back and forth between who had spoken last.

"You realize your defending an organization that hates humanity, don't you?" Weiss asked hotly as she stood from her bed. "The Faunus of the White Fang are pure evil!"

Blake shot up from her bed, glaring daggers at the heiress. "There's no such thing as 'Pure Evil'!" she cried out. "Why do you think they hate humanity so much?! It's because of people like Cardin, people like YOU-" she spat with venom and animosity, enough so that it caused everyone in the room to flinch. "-that force them to take such drastic measures!"

Weiss gawked at the girl. "P-people like me?!"

"You're discriminatory!

"I am a VICTIM!" She snapped back, standing up from her own bed.

The two girls glared at each other heatedly. For a moment, Ruby and Yang were worried that a fight was about to break out between them. "You want to know why I despise the White Fang?" she questioned. Eventually, she moved to the windowsill. "Why I don't particularly trust the Faunus? It's because they've been at war with my family for years. War, as in actual bloodshed... My grandfather's company has had a target painted across its back for as long as I can remember. And ever since I was a child, I've watched family friends disappear; board members executed; an entire train car full of Dust, stolen. And every day, my father would come home, furious. And that made for a very difficult childhood."

To pronounce how difficult it seemed to her, she lammed a fist down on the bookshelf.

The girls' eyes softened. Blake, for her part, didn't know how to react. She had been more than aware of how much grief her brothers and sisters had put on the Schnee family, but she didn't realize it was so bad that it would be as frightening as that. Ruby went over to Weiss to try and comfort her. "Weiss, I…"

"No!" She turned away from Ruby, and walked back over to Blake. "You want to know why I despise the White Fang?" she shouted angrily. "It's because they're a bunch of liars, thieves, and murderers!"

A growl escaped from Blake. For the first time in her life, she finally snapped. She had ENOUGH.

"WELL MAYBE WE WERE JUST TIRED OF BEING PUSHED AROUND!"

Silence filled the room soon after. The expressions on her team mates faces shifted to complete shock. Blake then realized her blunder and her face grew terrified.

"Wh...what...?" Weiss was the one the break the tense atmosphere?

The ravenette didn't know what to say. She just said something she shouldn't have. Her mind was racing. Her eyes flew all over the room. She couldn't see any other option. So without another word spoken...she ran.

"B-Blake?!" Ruby cried. "Blake, wait! Come back!"

It was too late...she was gone.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Dude, I am telling you...Bloodborne is a better game than Dark Souls!" Eden insisted as he and Nico strolled through the Courtyard, each with a soda in hand. "I mean, you get to fight with Trick Weapons, which are a lot like the weapons we use, slay beasts, monsters, and even get to fight against the Old Hunters through the Old Hunters DLC. It's just pure bloody awesomeness!"

Nico raised an eyebrow as he took a drink of his soda. "Dark Souls is far better," he retorted. "True, I got into the series rather late, but it is by far the best interpretation of how a true battle works. It's like a simulation, you need to plan carefully ahead. Plus...I find slaying demons better than eldritch abominations."

"Well sure, you fight demons in Dark Souls, but in Bloodborne, you get to slay beings that are equivalent to Gods using only the trick weapons you obtain and the power of blood! Plus, each of your opponents is pretty terrifying. Like each one came from a nightmare. Like the time I first fought Ludwig, I was pretty shocked. I mean...it was surprising how the Blood could turn a normal human being into well...that." The Blue Devil shrugged. "Plus, you don't fight like a warrior...you fight like a Hunter! A lot like what we're training for!"

Nico paused for a moment, as if deep in thought, and then nodded. "I suppose you have a point there."

"'Course I do!" the teen grinned. "After all, I-" He stopped when he saw a familiar figure running away from Beacon at full speed, heading straight for the statue in the center of the courtyard. "Wait a second...isn't that...?"

Nico followed his partner's line of sight and was surprised. "...Blake? What's she doing out here so late?"

The girl stopped right in front of the statue. The two noticed that her face was that of forlorn and sadness, staring at the statue. Her gaze was directed at the twin Huntsmen, but then her gaze fell to the Grimm trapped beneath the rock. It was just like her, she thought...a beast persecuted. Hunted. Ostracized...hated. "I don't belong here..." she muttered sadly, as her hand went to her bow. She grabbed two of the ends, and gently pulled, unraveling the black fabric from her head.

She lowered her hands, one clenching the black ribbon tightly. Sadly, she looked up at what the bow had hid: a pair of black cat ears.

"...Blake?" Eden called out. The girl's amber eyes widened slightly, but they fell in resignation as she looked over her shoulder, seeing the Blue Devil and Nico approach with surprised looks. "You, uh...okay?"

"...why wouldn't I be?"

He silently pointed to her head. "You don't have your bow on," Nico said. His eyes then softened. "So, you were..." She nodded, wordlessly. "Did...Weiss...?"

Again, she nodded. She looked down the ground in shame.

"Hey now," Eden patted her gently. "Whatever that banshee told you, don't let it get to you. I mean, come on. It's Weiss we're talking about here!"

"Agreed." Nico nodded. "Just let her be for a while. Surely she will cool down for you to explain yourself properly next time you see her."

"Yeah!" A new voice interjected.

The group whirled around, and found a familiar face hanging from one of the lamp posts, a wide grin plastered across their face.

"You know," Sun Wukong said with a wink. "You definitely look better without the bow~"

 **-Teammate Troubles - Monkeying Around: END-**

Next Time: Teammate Troubles - Black and White

Hint for next Chapter:

"Everything rides on this one choice...not just your life, but the fate of the entire world!"


	13. Chapter 13

**Co-Written with Demons Anarchy of Pride. The creator of many fantastic masterpieces such as: Fire Emblem: Eternity Unto Reformation, Code Geass: Lelouch of the R-eset, The Crow: DxD, Highschool, DxD: Shatter Destiny, RWBY's Reaper, Code Geass 00, Fractured Reality, Code Geass: Suzaku of the Counterattack, Devil Survivor: Destiny Rewind, and some of his new projects, such as Lagrange 111: You Are (Not) Alone, Tokyo Ghoul: A Flowered Colored Darker Than Black, Persona 4: The Unseen Truth, Monarch, Kill the Deadly Sin, Code Geass: The Butterfly Effect, DxD: Final, DC Heroes: FORGOTTEN BLOODSTAINED LEGACY, DxD: Nocturne, Project, A Tale of Three Dragons, A Dragon Darker than Black, Code Geass: Kill the Rebellion, RWBY: Colorless Memories, RWBY: Black Rebellion, Persona Q: Take your Heart Edition, RWBY: Final Judgment, Outsiders, and more.**

 **I highly recommend you check them all out.**

 **I really appreciate your help, man. Couldn't have done this without ya!**

 **I also recommend a few stories made by another talented fanfic writer, Otaku-Nation666: Warning Letter, Highschool DxD: Destiny's Play, RWBY Riders: Spirits of Legend, Deadly Sin of the Spriggan, RWBY: Within Enlightened Hearts, Tokyo Ghoul: Wishes of an Eyepatch, Fabulae Parcae, RWBY –Apocrypha-, Tokyo Mirage Sessions: Apocalypse, and more.**

 **Neither of us own any of the characters from other series featured in this fic. They belong to their respective creators.**

 **Thank you to all who continue to support this story. Please Read and Review.**

 **Also…..ALL FLAMES CAN JUST BURN IN HELL!... So don't even bother.**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Chapter 11: Teammate Troubles - Black and White**

"...Blake's been gone all weekend," Ruby moaned as they walked through the streets of Vale, the silver-eyed girl's head hung low.

"Don't worry Rubes." Her sister consoled her. "We'll find her..."

Weiss on the other hand, said nothing as she followed her team mates through the street. Her mind was focused on the maelstrom of thoughts inside her head. "…Blake's a big girl," she said in a huff. "I'm sure she can take care of herself."

"Don't be like that, Weiss!" Yang said. "She's our teammate!"

Weiss glared back at her. "Is she?" she questioned. "We all heard what she said."

"Maybe," Yang frowned heavily. "But maybe not. You don't know that for sure."

"A member of the White Fang!" she cried hysterically. "Right underneath our noses!"

"Weiss, I think we should hear her side of the story before we jump to any conclusions..." The brawler reasoned.

"I think when we all hear it; you'll all realize I was right."

"I think Weiss' hair looks wonderful today."

The girls of RWY jumped, crying out in shock as they whirled around, coming face to face with a familiar ginger-haired girl, who sported a wide smile. "Salutations!"

"Gah! Penny! Where did you come from?!" The Leader of RWBY cried in surprise.

"Hey guys!" The girl waved. "What are you up to?"

"Uh...uh..." Ruby was unsure how to answer. Should she tell her the truth? Yang, seeing her sister's reluctance, decided to answer for her.

"We're looking for our friend, Blake."

"Ohhh...You mean the Faunus girl."

The girls of RWY looked at one another. "Wait...how do you know that?" Ruby questioned.

"Uh, the cat ears?" Penny pointed to the top of her head to make her point.

"What cat ears? She wears a...bow…" Yang trailed off, slowly realizing what she was getting at.

Silence soon fell upon them. A tumbleweed even passed them, as if mimicking the silent meme of certain films. "Well," Ruby offered weakly. "She does like tuna a lot."

"So...where is she? As well as your other friends? Are they not looking for her with you?" Penny asked, referring to Team LNCE.

"Well," Yang sighed. "I don't know about Ludger or the girls, but Nico and Eden are probably still at school, sleeping or something."

"Is that so?" Penny tilted her head. "How strange...I thought I had seen Ludger Kresnik walking around with a young girl."

"Wait, really?" Ruby asked as she moved closer to Penny. Ludger with a young girl? That was pretty unusual.

"Yes." She nodded. "He was also with Neopolitan and Cielo. They were walking around town with a little girl wearing a yellow backpack and pink jacket."

"If he was with Neo, I'd think he was on a date or something," Yang commented. "But a kid and Cielo? That's weird."

"You mean as weird as Blake hiding she was a Faunus?"

The blonde sighed in irritation. "Okay, Weiss, that's enough!" she snapped. "Look, I couldn't care if you hate Faunus or not, but can you just stop acting like such a BITCH for two seconds, and pretend you actually care about your teammate?!"

"I DO care about her!" Weiss snapped back. "...I'm just afraid of what she'll say when we find her...The innocent don't run, you guys..."

"Okay, that's enough!" Ruby shouted. This is the one thing she didn't want to see, especially not now of all times. "Let's-let's just focus on finding Blake, alright?!"

"Well don't you worry, Ruby my friend." Penny grabbed Ruby by the shoulders. "I will not rest until we find. Your. Teammate."

"Uh...o-okay?" she squeaked, feeling slightly intimidated and surprised by Penny's behavior. "B-But I think we'll be just fine on our own...right guys?"

She looked over her shoulder...but Weiss and Yang weren't there. "Eh?"

"Let's split up!" Yang called from further down on the street. "Me and Ice Queen will look downtown! Sound good?!"

"Eh?!"

"Quit calling me that!"

"EH?!"

Ruby couldn't believe this! They were really leaving her alone?! "Hey wait-!" But before she could finish, they turned around the corner and disappeared.

Penny still continued to smile, while Ruby's head lowered in depression.

Out from nowhere another random tumbleweed blew past them.

"Sure is windy today." Penny commented.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Geez, where could they be?" Elle questioned as they sat in a nearby cafe, pouting. "Stupid Caius and Tico..."

"Sorry, Elle," Ludger apologized, rubbing his neck with a downcast expression. "I thought we would have found them by now."

It's been about two days since they decided to help Elle find her older siblings. They combed over the city and still found no sign of them.

"Who knew it was hard to find another ice cream head?" Cielo commented, also looking troubled. "Hm...you think we should advertise Neo and go, 'LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WITH ICE CREAM HAIR!'?" The tri-colored girl glared at the hyperactive child, who recoiled. "W-what?! It's a fair and honest idea!"

"Maybe, but I feel like people would just look at us weirdly and avoid us rather than help us look for Elle's siblings." Ludger replied with honesty.

"...you know, Cielo?" Elle said as she tilted her head. "You remind me of Big Sis Tico."

"Really? How?" The azure haired girl tilted her head in a questioning manner.

Elle gave her a simple look. "Well, for one, your just as hyperactive as her," she said. "And your really, REALLY excited. Like, almost all of the time." She gave a brief pause before frowning. "You don't like waffles by any chance, do you?"

"Are you kidding?...WAFFLES ARE THE FOOD OF THE GREAT SPIRITS~!" She cheered exuberantly.

Ludger and Neo winced, as her scream was enough to wake the dead. The little girl sweat dropped. "...yep, she's totally like my sis."

"And what about your brother?" Ludger asked curiously. "What's Caius like?"

"Hm..." Elle folded her arms and fuddled her brow in thought, gathering all the qualities she knows of her brother. "He is oldest out of the three of us, so he looks after us like a big brother should. He's very nice and smart. Hes a strong fighter; I rarely see him lose. He's also very good with housework, especially cooking. He learned a lot from daddy, and he's almost as good! Caius is also the leader of his team!"

Ludger's eyes widened. "Wait, really?" he asked. Neo and Tico leaned in, looking very curious. "What were they called?"

Elle grinned happily.

"Their called Team CALM(Caelum). He and big sis are on the same team, along with Lien and Lucina, their team mates."

"...Lien?" Tico blinked. "Like the money?"

"Mmhm." Elle nodded. "That's the same thing I asked when I first met her. She told me it was the name her mom came up with."

"Must be a Nora-like mom then," Ludger sweat-dropped. "Anyway...you said he's apart of a team, right?" Elle nodded, given that she said it a few seconds ago. "Do you know if any of his teammates are here?"

Elle's face turned sad, as she shook her head. "No..." she murmured. "We all came here by ourselves...we're still looking for our friends. We call got separated."

"Separated?" He inquired.

"Uh-huh." She nodded once more. "We all left home together, but we got separated. We don't know where everyone else is. We're looking for them."

Neo frowned before she held up her Scroll, typing in something. She then turned it towards Elle, revealing a spelled message.

"Can you tell us who they are? If we can find them, we might find your brother and sister."

Elle nodded. "Mm. Well, there's Edna and Matt, they're on another team. Edna's kind of scary, but she's like a cool big sister. Matt's the easy-going type, and he kind of looks, oh what's the word? Wild? Oh, and then there's Quartz and his team! He's kind of a weapons geek, and his cousin, Yin, really likes fighting. Blanc's kind of like the princely type, though he hates being called a "prince." Then there's Lune...he's kind of a loner. Oh, and he's a monkey guy too!"

"Wow. That is a lot of friends, Elle." Ludger commented in amazement.

"Yep!"

"Shouldn't be too hard trying to find at least one of them," Cielo commented. "Plus, how hard can it be to find someone with ice cream hair?"

Neo frowned, still feeling quite angry about her hair color constantly being referred to as such. She opened her mouth to say something, but paused when she saw something curious. She gave Ludger a poke to the shoulder, earning his attention. "Hm? What is it, Neo?" he asked. She then pointed at what garnered her attention. He followed her line of sight, and his eyes widened with confusion. "Is that...?"

XXXXXXXXXX

"...so, you want to know more about me."

Sun grinned. "Finally," he threw his hands in the air. "She speaks! Nearly two days and you've given me nothing but small talk and weird looks."

Her eyes narrowed at him.

"Yeah, like that."

"Well can you blame her, Sun?" Eden questioned as he took a sip of his latte. "She barely knows you."

"If anything, your patience is to be admired." Nico told the monkey faunus as he took a sip from his own cup of tea. The four teenagers were currently seated on the terrace of a well-known cafe in Vale called Noir and Blanc.

It had been two days since Eden and Nico had left with the two, and as Sun had said, all she had done with merely give small talk. Sun had tried multiple times to start up a conversation, trying to get her to warm up, though to no avail...at least up until now. Eden and Nico, meanwhile, were wondering how Team RWY was doing, given that they were short one team member, and given the circumstances leading to that event, they were worried. After all, Blake had kept this a secret from them, but it was understandable.

After all, a Schnee was apart of her team.

"...Sun," Blake sighed, setting her cup down. "Are you familiar with the White Fang?"

"Of course!" the blonde teen replied. "I don't think there's a Faunus on the planet who hasn't heard of them! Stupid holier-than-thou creeps who use force to get whatever they want! Bunch of freaks if you ask me." He took a sip from the cup he held in his tail.

"I...used to be a member of the White Fang..." She confessed.

Sun nearly spat out his drink, and nearly choked on it in the process. Nico's eyes went wide, and his jaw hit the table. "W-wait, what?" he said in shock. "Blake, you were...?"

"How else did she know how to fight?" Eden answered, not in the least bit surprised. "She learned it from that bull head I was talking to you about."

"Then...you knew, Eden?"

Blake nodded. "Yeah...we met on one the last job I ever took from the White Fang," she said. "It was just me and Adam."

"W-wait, hold on a second!" Sun said, coughing slightly. "YOU were a member of the White Fang?!"

"Yeah...I have been for a long time..." Blake's gaze turned solemn. "You could say I was born into it..."

She let out a deep sigh, staring down at her cup. "It was different back then," she said sadly. "From the ashes of war, the White Fang was meant to be a symbol of peace and equality for both Faunus AND Humans. However, even after such promises, the Faunus were still regarded with discrimination, and hate. Humanity still thought that we were lesser beings...and so, the White Fang rose to the voice of our people."

A memory flashed by her in her head. A small little girl with black hair and cat ears, bearing fierce amber eyes, holding a sign, standing at the front of a crowd of individuals with animal-like features.

"And I was there," she continued. "At the front of every rally. I took part in every boycott. I actually thought we were making a difference...but that was youthful optimism. Then, everything changed five years, when our old leader stepped down..."

Eden's eyes hardened, and for a moment, flashed dark purple. "...and the new one took his place. What used to be a peaceful civil rights group became one of the most feared and hated terrorist organizations that Remnant had ever seen. Peaceful protests turned into organized attacks; stores that refused Faunus were destroyed, and cargo from companies that used Faunus labor were stolen."

"And the worst part?" Blake said with a sad look in her eyes. "It was...working. People actually started to treat us like equals. But it wasn't out of respect...it was out of fear."

The girl set down her cup back on its saucer. "...So...I left. I decided I no longer wanted to use my skills to aid in their violence. Instead I would dedicate my life to becoming a Huntress." She then looked up and looked Sun right in the eye. "So here I am. A criminal hiding in plain view. All with the help of a little black bow." She looked up and wiggled her ears beneath the bow, causing the fabric to move.

The boys remained silent for a moment, letting it all sink in. It was Sun who broke that silence. So...have you told your friends any of this?"

Another sigh escaped her. "No...after all, how could I?"

"She has the heiress of the Schnee Dust Corporation on the same team as her," Nico said with a bit trepidation. "I think you know how such a conversation could go."

Sun sighed. "Yeah...good point."

Sun knew that the SDC used Faunus Labor...and from what he's heard, its president made some questionable associates. It was a corporation infamous among Faunus, as it is one of the main groups that still oppress them.

"So..." he said slowly as he leaned back. "What exactly is the plan for you right now?"

Blake's eyes narrowed as she tilted her head down in thought, putting a hand to her chin. "I still don't believe that the White Fang are behind the robberies," she said firmly. "They've never needed that much dust before."

"...But what if they did?" Sun asked as he sat up straight. The three looked at him in questioning. "I mean, the only way to prove they didn't do it...is to go to the place where they would most likely go to if they were to do it...and not find them there. Right?"

"...Makes sense to me." Eden shrugged.

"That's actually sound reasoning." Nico bobbed his head.

"The only thing though...I have no idea where that would be."

"Well...while I was on the ship, I heard some guys talking about offloading a huge shipment of Dust coming in from Atlas."

"How huge?" She asked him.

"Huuuge. Big Schnee Company freighter..." Sun held his arms out in emphasis.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Now that you mention it...why were you on the ship in the first place?" The Blue Devil voiced his thoughts. "I woulda thought you would travel with your team by air ship."

"You can thank Neptune for that..." The Monkey Faunus grimaced.

Nico raised an eyebrow. "Neptune?"

"My buddy, and the biggest flirt you'll ever meet," the monkey-faunus chuckled. "One of these days, guy is gonna get wrecked because he flirted with the wrong woman."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Thanks anyways!" Yang called out as she and Weiss exited Tukson's Booktrade, the one place they thought Blake might have gone. They questioned the owner, seeing as how he seemed to have some history with her, but the man had not seen her. Once they were outside the store, she let out a sigh. "This is hopeless."

Weiss remained silent, as she had throughout her search with the brawler. The lilac-eyed girl frowned heavily, and folded her arms. "...you really don't care if we find her, do you?"

"...Don't be stupid. Of course I do. But like I said before, I'm just afraid of what she'll say when we find her. The innocent never run, Yang." Weiss then walked off to the next potential spot.

The brawler looked down. Weiss had a point...but she still wanted to believe in her partner.

"...everyone's got their emotional baggage," she said aloud, causing Weiss to pause and look at her. "Even someone like Blake."

Weiss seemed to pause, as if to register the meaning behind those words. In a way, Yang was correct. Everyone had something weighing on their minds...after all, she had pressure because of her status as the Heiress to a large corporation. It wasn't something she was entirely happy with, either. The position should have gone to Winter, her older sister, but she had instead chosen to become a Huntress in Atlas, and as for Whitley...he was younger than her, and unless circumstances demanded otherwise, she was to be the heiress.

She inwardly grimaced as she recalled those damned lectures her father made her go through.

"...excuse me?" a voice called out from behind her. She turned, and found herself blinking. Had she not known any better, she thought she was looking at a male Neopolitan, given that his hair was exactly the same color, standing beside a girl with messy blue hair and green eyes with golden rings. "Have you seen a little girl carrying a yellow backpack and a gold pocketwatch anywhere?"

XXXXXXXXXX

"So," Penny said as she walked behind Ruby as the little red reaper walked through the streets of Vale. "Blake is your friend?"

The girl sighed. "Yes, Penny."

"But you're...mad at her?"

"Yes-W-well, I'm not. Weiss is..."

"Is she friends with Blake?"

"Well, that is kinda up in the air right now..."

"But...why?" Penny inquired. Why wouldn't they be friends?

"Well you see, Blake may not be who we thought she was." The two girls stopped walking.

"...Is she a man?" Penny gasped.

"No, no. Penny, she's...I don't know what she is..." Ruby waved her arms in denial before sighing in resignation. "She didn't exactly talk to us before she decided to run off..."

"I don't have a lot of friends." The green eyed girl shook her head before looking up at Ruby. "But if I did. I would want them to talk to me about things."

The red reaper looked to the side, her eyes downcast, as if lost in thought. "...me too." The girls then resumed their walk.

XXXXXXXXXX

"...you sure these guys can do the job?" Roman asked skeptically as he looked at the group of people gathered around. "I mean, don't get me wrong, Rideaux old buddy, but these guys seem kind of...you know..."

The man Roman was speaking to gave a shadow of a grin. He was tall and appeared to be in his late twenties. He was wearing a red suit with a striped, tailed jacket, a yellow shirt, and purple muffler. A black, feathered ornament hung from his shoulder. He had long black hair that was bleached on his side bangs. His yellow eyes held the spark of cunning and malice. "No need to worry yourself, Roman Torchwick." He replied. "Spirius always has the best there is to offer when it comes to its agents."

"Spirius?" Xeno guffawed. "HA! You're kiddin!" He gave the man a look of glee, however, as he leaned back with his hands behind his head. "Still, though...who would have thought that the Director of Spirius himself was actually the head of Exodus? Heehee~ your one scary guy, Rideaux~"

The man smiled back. "I do hope you'll keep this a secret from my boss. It would be quite troublesome if he found out my...side job."

"My lips are sealed~"

As if to back his claim, Xeno slid his index finger and thumb across his lips, signaling that he's zipping them shut. Still, the information he just learned amused him greatly. Who knew that the Director of the biggest corporation on Remnant was the head of a terrorist cell for human supremacy?

Roman still looked skeptical, but in the end, he found himself grinning like a madman. "Bunch of animals who think they're the top dogs, and now we're throwing guys who want animals on leashes," he commented, taking a swift drag of his cigar before blowing out a puff of smoke. "Gotta say...this is like a drama waiting to happen."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Did I miss anything?" Sun asked as he hopped onto the crate where Blake, Eden, and Nico were situated on to observe the workers at the docks. In his arms were green apples that he stole from a vendor a few blocks away.

"Not really," Blake replied. "They've offloaded all of the crates from the boat. Now they're just sitting there."

"All in all...it's been a pretty quite night." Nico commented.

"Cool." Sun stated. He then grabbed an apple and held it out to Blake. "I stole you some food."

"Do you always break the law without a second thought?" Blake quirked a brow.

"Hey, weren't you in a cult or something?"

Blake glared at him.

"Dude...too soon..." Eden shook his head.

Nico accepted one oft the apples. "So," he said as he took a bite out of it. "On the off chance that the White Fang is apart of this...what's there to gain? Are they planning something huge?"

"Dunno," Eden shrugged. "I mean, if you want to ask someone, why not ask the boss?" He paused. "Speaking of which...I've interrogated plenty of White Fang scrubs, but they never told me who was in charge."

Blake's ears twitched upon hearing what Eden said. But chose to remain silent and keep her eyes on the docks. She felt a knot form in the pit of her stomach. She desperately tried to suppress the image of the White Fang leader in her mind. He...he was a monster in every sense of the word. Yet as she tried to repress these thoughts, she felt her heart ache.

"Whoever he is, he's a sick bastard," Sun remarked with distaste. "I mean, dude, come on. You think violence is gonna-"

He was cut off when the whirring sound of an engine roared above him, and turbine winds nearly knocking him and the others back unto the ground.

From above, a bright light shone down and illuminated the spot where the Dust was placed on the docks. The airship that was shining its light slowly descended and landed right in front of the shipment. The cargo door to the aircraft dropped, and a single figure walked down the ramp. It was a person garbed in a mask that covered the upper half of his face, a black hood and pants with a white vest. On the back of the vest was a blood red depiction of a snarling wolf's head with three slash marks going through the head.

Blake's eyes widened, her worst fear coming to life. "Oh no..."

"Is that them?" Sun asked.

"Yes...it's them."

Soon, more individuals, also dressed in the same garb, emerged from the aircraft, some of them armed with rifles. However...they weren't alone. Other individuals were also with them, wearing dark blue clothes with golden trims, and wearing metallic masks over their heads. Strapped to their backs were large metal backpacks. The obvious males had giant weapons that resembled cannons, while the females had blades strapped to their wrists. Nico's eyes widened in disbelief, as did Eden. "What...the shit?!" he gawked. "The fuck is this?!"

"Wait," Sun frowned. "You know those guys?"

"Yeah..." Eden seethed. "...Those are members of the human supremacy terrorist group, Exodus..."

The Faunus' eyes went wide. "What?!" Blake nearly shouted. "B-but that can't be right! The-the White Fang would never...!"

"I know," the Blue Devil growled. "Something's up...whenever these guys are in the same room, a bloodbath's sure to follow...so why the hell are they...?"

"Hey! What's the hold up?!" Both teens grew alert by the voice, more so Eden than Blake. He recognized that voice...after all...he was a target that slipped through his fingers. Walking down the ramp was one Roman Torchwick. "We're not exactly the most inconspicuous bunch of thieves at the moment, so why don't you animals and gents try and pick up the pace?!"

Nico frowned. "...this isn't right," he muttered. "It's one thing for the White Fang to work with Roman Torchwick...but him AND Exodus?" He turned to look at Eden and Blake. "What the hell is going on here?"

"Don't know..." Blake shook her head as she stood up. Eden followed her action. "But it's time to get some answers."

"Hey, wait-!" But before either Sun or Nico could stop them, both teens jumped down below.

In a matter of seconds, the two were already on the ground, and moving towards their target. They used the large stacks of cargo as cover to hide their advance, and soon found their target. "No, you idiot!" Roman snapped at a White Fang soldier. "This isn't a leash!"

They pounced. Blake had Gambol Shround at his neck, and Eden had his sword aimed directly at his chest, over where his heart was. "What the?!" the mobster gawked with wide eyes. Then he realized what was happening, and groaned. "Oh, for f-"

Blake removed her bow with her free hand and announced to the White Fang. "Brothers of the White Fang, why are you aiding this scum and this group of human extremists?!"

The White Fang stopped, instantly seeing her cat ears. They hesitated to shoot, especially when a few recognized her. Some Exodus members tried to aim their guns, but Eden's sword became encased in blue fire, and his eyes flared dangerously. "...you want your employer to die?"

Roman's eyes widened upon seeing the flames, and grimaced. "Oh, great...thought that blue hair looked familiar. Nice to see you too, devil boy."

"I'd say the same...as I never got to bring in your sorry ass to the police." He frowned. "I was wondering what hole you crawled in to hide all this time..."

Blake glared at him, pressing her blade against his neck. "Whoa, take it easy there little lady..."

"What are you planning Torchwick?" Eden asked. "Moreover, how'd you get two groups of people who hate each others' guts to cooperate with you?"

Roman smirked. "Heh, oh you kids...didn't you get the memo?"

"What are you talking about?" Blake demanded.

"The White Fang, Exodus, and I are going in on a joint business venture together!"

"Tell us what it is." Eden's eyes narrowed into a sharp glare. "Or we'll put an end to your little operation and cremate every last one of you."

Suddenly, a familiar sound echoed in the air. Roman smirked smugly. "I wouldn't exactly call it a LITTLE operation."

The teens looked up. Two more airships were descending. They hovered over the docks as if waiting for something. While Blake's attention was up above, she failed to notice Roman aiming his cane beneath her feet. He pulled the trigger and the blast broke apart the Earth beneath her feet. Eden quickly reacted from the sudden explosion and swung his sword with the intent of lopping Roman's head off.

However, his blade was blocked...

...by several pitch black swords.

"W-what?!"

"Ah, ah, ah~" a mocking voice called out. "No touching allowed, my good man."

Eden looked to where he heard the voice and his blue eyes met with glowing purple ones. The figure snapped his leg out and kicked him away from the mobster.

"Ooof!"

The Blue Devil hit the ground and tumbled backward before he rolled up onto his feet. He glared at the assailant, and his eyes widened in recognition. There he was...standing in the shadows with several black swords dancing around him. His purple eyes glowed eerily in the darkness, a cruel grin on his face. There was no way he wouldn't recognize such a person. He kept seeing him in his nightmares from all those years ago.

"It's been a while..." the figure stepped out of the shadows, revealing a man with raven black, wearing a black leather jacket and a red v-neck shirt. He wore torn denim jeans, a studded belt, and black combat boots. Around his neck was a choker with a metal skull. "War."

"Y-you..." Eden gaped, his eyes wide in shock and recognition. But his expression soon broke apart to don a visage of sheer rage and resentment. His eyes violently changed colors from blue to purple.

"So!" the man grinned happily as he clapped his hands. "How've you been?! Still pissed at me for slaughtering your whole family I take it?"

Edens wrath spiked to new heights. The black markings on his sword glowed with an ominous malevolence. "You...BASTARD!" He roared as he used his flames propulsion to launch him at his former assailant.

Xeno grinned, and the black blades around him clashed with the flames.

For the first time in several years...War and Conquest had reunited. And blood was about to be shed.

XXXXXXXXXX

Blake was lying on the ground, still a bit disoriented from the blast. She pulled herself up and shook her head. She turned around just in time to see another Dust round head her way. She somersaulted to her right to avoid the attack, which struck the crate behind her. She landed on her feet and turned to face Roman, who finished reloading his weapon and fired a series of round at the Cat Faunus. Blake back flipped away from the approaching blasts. When one was seemingly about to strike her, she quickly moved back and a shadow of her took the hit. She then turned and broke out into a sprint behind a stack of crates to lose her pursuer.

Roman walked after her, his guard never dropping. "Here kitty, kitty, kitty…" His approach was stopped when a peeled banana landed on the rim of his hat, moving it over his eyes. He growled in annoyance as he fixed his hat and chucked the banana to the side before looking up to find the culprit. His eyes widened as he saw Sun leap up and dive with both legs extended. The Monkey Faunus planted both of his feet on the mobster's face and slammed him to the ground. He rolled on his back after he hit the ground before he flipped over and landed on his feet a few yards away. He then turned around to glare at Roman.

"Leave her alone!"

The mobster steadily pulled himself back up and was about to fire at the monkey Faunus, but something else hit him in the back of the head. Clutching his cranium, he turned to see what struck him. "What the…an apple? What's next? A pomegranate?!" He looked up while asking and saw Nico dive down with his hand glowing, signifying the use of an Arte.

"Demon Fist!" The tattooed teen fired off the burst of energy aimed right at his foe's face.

Roman's eyes widened, and he cursed. He jumped back, and avoided the Arte. Blake came in quick, however, with her blade. "Shadow Blitz!" Shadows encased her weapon as she raised it for a horizontal slash. Roman pulled up Melodic Cudgel to block it.

The cut struck against the cane, but the power of the Arte was enough to nearly knock him off balance. The three were about to attack, but two soldiers, a White Fang member and an Exodus soldier came in and opened fire. Sun and Blake easily avoided them, while Nico used one of the nearby crates as cover. "You know," the mobster said. "If there's one thing I really hate, its brats like you." As soon as he said that, a familiar mass of blue shot past him, and crashed straight into a crate.

To Blake, Sun, and Nico's shock, it was Eden, whose body was covered in bruises. "Ghrk!" he spat out globs of blood as he fell to the ground, landing on all fours. However, he soon stood back up to his feet, his hand on his sword, and body wreathed in flames. "D-damn you...!"

"Maaan, that was hot~!" Xeno said as he came into view, dusting off the soot on his body. "Seriously, kid! Fire's bad for the complexion! I burn easy, never tan~"

"I hope…you burn in Hell, bastard!" Eden snarled. His body was in pain with every motion. He didn't know how, but his opponent's attacks were breaking through his Aura.

Xeno smirked as he twirled his fingers, causing a few swords to dance in the air.

However...

"Time Disintegration!"

"Dual Razor!"

"...Mirror Break!"

A blur of swinging blades, two sickles of wind, and a mass of energy shards were aimed right at him. The assailant in black gaped and jumped away from the three consecutive Artes that would've struck him.

Blake and Nico's eyes widened, while Eden gave a pained smirk. "...took you long enough...Leader..."

Ludger smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Eden," he said as Cielo and Neo stood next to him with their respective weapons drawn. "We had to take a detour."

"H-hey!" a young voice shouted. "I-is he okay?!"

"Yeah!" Ludger shouted back. "Just stay there, Elle!"

"O-Okay!" The little girl nodded as she hid behind a random crate and away from the danger.

"Huh? Who's the kid?" Roman questioned.

Xeno shrugged. "Dunno...but she's stupid-GHRK?!"

He was cut off when Cielo, disappearing into a blue haze, reappeared behind him, and struck him straight in the head with a fierce glare.

"You're the stupid one, meanie!" Cielo stuck her tongue out. No one insults little Elle and beats up her team mate and gets away with it.

Xeno, meanwhile, gave her an annoyed glare. "Why you little-"

"Flame Shot!"

"Ice Rain!"

"Blooming Shot!"

He cursed, and jumped back, avoiding the rose-petal shot, spears of ice and a large fireball. Blake's eyes widened, seeing the approaching forms of Weiss and Yang. Not far behind them was Ruby and Penny.

"Blake! Nico! Ludger! We found you guys!" Ruby called out.

"Heh...what took you all…so long?" Eden snarked before cringing. It hurt him to laugh.

"Sorry we're late. We were looking for you guys before we heard the explosion. We heard it was in the direction of the docks so we rushed over here as fast as we could. We also brought a couple guests with us." Yang responded, gesturing to the two people behind them.

Elle's eyes widened as a smile broke across her face, poking her head out from her hiding place. "Caius!" she cheered. "Tico!"

"Hey-o!" Tico greeted. "Sorry we're late, everybody!"

"Elle! We're glad you're safe!" Caius sighed in relief. "Just stay right there! Well come get you!"

"Hooooold it right there!" Roman shouted. Everyone stopped, realizing that they were still in the middle of a warzone. "Now, look, I'm all for a party...but really?! How many people are going to show up and ruin my heist?!"

Xeno snickered. "Hey, come on, Roman my man," he said with a grin. "The more, the merrier, am I right?"

"Yeah, for you to kill."

"Exactly!" Xeno clapped happily. "That's where the fun is! Why, I haven't had this much fun since I slaughtered everyone at Mount Glenn!"

This revelation stunned everyone, most of all, Yang, who knew Eden's story from the failed extension of Vale.

"Y-you..." Weiss gasped, her face pale. "You...were the one who caused Mountain Glenn's downfall?!"

"Correction," the man raised a hand. "I slaughtered everyone. The downfall of that settlement is all on the idiots who live there."

Yang's hands balled into fists. Her lilac eyes turned red, and her hair was set aflame. "So, basically..." she said in a deathly calm voice. "What you're telling us is...you're the one who killed Eden's family?"

This alone earned several wide-eyed looks from those who weren't aware. They all looked at Eden, who was still glaring at Xeno with hatred. Said man smiled widely. "Nah, I didn't kill them," he replied cheerfully. "I MASSACRED them."

"...GOOD! LION BARRAGE!"

She jumped from where she stood and lashed out her fists as fast as fired bullets. From each punch thrown, a spectral Lions head manifested and flew at her target, their maws wide open, baring their sharp fangs.

Xeno didn't look the least bit phased.

"...Phantom Wall."

The black swords moved in front of him, and cut down every last projectile.

"Yeeeaaah...gonna have to do better than that, blondie." He smirked. But as the smoke from he collision cleared, his opponent was nowhere in sight. "Huh? Where did she...?"

Then, a fist collided with his jaw.

Xeno was flung from his previous position and crashed through a crate of explosive Dust several meters away. Upon colliding with the crates contents, he was engulfed in a fiery explosion.

Roman blinked. Yang was panting, breathing heavily while her eyes remained fixated on the now flaming crate. "How's that you son of a bitch?!" She was furious. Furious at this monster because he ruined her friend's life. That he takes pleasure in taking lives as if they were nothing to him. She had some satisfaction that she had blown him straight into a Dust crate...but her satisfaction vanished when Xeno emerged.

Completely unscathed.

"Jesus, what do you pack in those gauntlets?" Xeno whined, rubbing his jaw. She saw no actual wound, however. "Seriously, girl, you have issues...or are just that pissed about what happened to your boyfriend?"

Ludger's eyes narrowed. The grip on his dual blades tightened. "...Eden," he called out. "Did this guy...really kill your parents?"

"…I'm certain." The Blue Devil nodded gravely. "It was kinda hard to tell at first...but I recognize those eyes and swords of his anywhere. They've plagued my nightmares for years..." He hacked out a glob of blood. "...He killed everyone at Mt. Glenn...even the people who took shelter underground to escape the horde of Grimm that HE led into the settlement..."

Cielo frowned heavily. "Okay, that's just mean!" she said angrily. "Mielo, let's kick the butt out of this guy!"

Tico's eyes widened when she heard that. "Mi...elo?" she whispered. "Wait, that's my mother's..."

"Definitely," Nico nodded, cracking his knuckles. "This bastard is officially on my "to kick ass" list."

"Alright then!" Ruby nodded. "Weiss, do you know any Artes that can heal Eden?"

The heiress didn't reply, as she instead let her actions do the talking. Green glyphs danced underneath Eden's feet. "Heal!"

Ethereal light emerged from the glyph and floated around Eden's body. In a matter of moments, his bruises lightened up and the pain ebbed away from his body. He got strength back into his limbs, and clenched his hand twice for good measure.

"Nice...Thanks for the help, Ice Queen."

"Stop calling me that!"

Xeno smirked. "Oh? So you're ready for Round 2, devil boy?"

"Oi, Xeno." Roman chided. "Let me in on the fun, will ya?" He gave a small glare to Ruby, who glared back in return. "I have...unfinished business with Red over here."

"Fine by me, Roman my man."

The raven haired murderer took two of his floating swords in hand and grinded the blades against one another, forming sparks. "Shadow is feeling hungry..."

Eden felt something inside of him stir, but he paid no attention to it. Instead, he took a stance. Ludger, Cielo, Nico, and Neo had joined him. Likewise, Ruby was standing across from Roman with her scythe unfurled. Already, Weiss, Blake, and Yang were next to her. "Penny, you should get away from here," The brawler advised. "And stay with that girl over there. This is no place for kids."

Penny, instead, smiled widely. "Didn't I tell you before, everyone?" she said with joy. "I'm combat ready!"

Then, several blades emerged from her backpack, all dancing around her with green circuits running across the edge of the blade.

"What in the heck?!" Eden gaped. Just where on Remnant did those come from?!

Ruby's eyes widened. "Whoooaaa…where'd you get those?!"

"I've had them with me all of this time!" Penny said with a wide smile. "Now, let us apprehend Roman Torchwick and these terrorists!"

"Let us help you."

Ruby and Ludger looked over their shoulders, finding Tico and Caius behind them. The reaper's eyes widened when she saw the male teen. He looked just like a male version of Neo!

"You guys don't have to. This is our fight." Ludger shook his head. While their help was appreciated, they couldn't risk the lives of others in their affairs.

"Well, this became our fight since our little sister is here." Tico retorted. "Besides...who said we were defenseless?" She pulled out her twin short swords while and her brother unsheathed his irregular katana.

Ruby still looked uncertain. "But..."

"Don't worry," Caius shook his head. "We won't get in your way...besides; I can't forgive people like them."

The grip on his weapon tightened. As if in response to his feelings, the blade crackled with electricity.

"Alright," Nico nodded, cracking his knuckles. "The more help, the better."

"Well, however we're splitting up these guys...the psycho with the floating swords is mine..." Eden growled as he gripped his sword, the blade igniting in flames as if in tandem with his rage.

"I'll help you, then," Caius said, standing with LNCE. "My name is Caius. Caius Mel Marta."

"The name's Tico Maverick!" Tico winked, standing by Team RWBY. "Pleased to meet ya!"

Ludger and Ruby nodded at the two and then brandished their weapons.

Then, with a cry, they clashed with their foes.

XXXXXXXXXX

Ozpin had to admit, it had been a long time since he came here. Even after several thousands of years, the temple still looked as...dilapidated as ever.

He scanned the structure with a perceptive eye. Lining the stone path into the temple itself were rows of statues resembling dragons. But their bodies were chipped, cracked, or broken from the relentless stream of time.

A whimsical smile crossed his face. It was perhaps a sign of how bigoted the world had become in time...once, dragons were a symbol of power. Power beyond the likes of which no ordinary human could understand. However, with each passing age, their power waned. Soon, people forgot about them. They no longer feared their power. However, despite that, some dragons continued to reign over this world...only they had lost their purity. No longer were they paragons of power.

Now, they were tainted black beasts of a woman who wanted more than to destroy this world, and all who inhabited it.

Silently, he walked through the halls of the temple, the corridors stretching onward, more and more continuously. As he grew closer to the destination, he could see vegetation slowly reclaiming the temple. Nature was beginning to take back its lost treasure.

It seems rather poetic in a sense. What was once created from the foundations of nature shall be reclaimed by its origins. However, he did not come to this place to be poetic. He never did anything like this without good reason. And his reason lies at the very heart of this temple.

Soon, he reached his destination.

He set foot into a massive room and took note of the murals all around him. Their themes were divided by the walls they were depicted on. On his left were images of ethereal beings floating around humans, all coming in a variety of forms. From small animals. To fairy-like creatures. To even humanoid beings. Their actions ranged from observing humans to causing mischief. But the relationship one could assume from these beings with humans based on their depicted actions is one of symbiosis. On different parts of the mural, there were four figures bestowing the four elements to the world.

A woman made of water called upon the rain and let the liquid of life flow through streams and oceans. As the rivers flowed, life appeared from the barren earth. A man made of fire stood among a burning forest, the charred plants turning to ash and giving life to new vegetation. Below him were humans that were cooking meat over and making pottery from the flames he provided. A little fairy-like creature made of wind flew around the world, providing the breeze of nature to the civilization of man. Children ran and flew their kites while the winds turned the windmills. A small animal composed of the earth stood in the middle of a dry wasteland and transformed it to fresh, fertile soil in the next image over. Around him, mountains were formed and chasms marked the world.

At the center of the mural were smaller versions of the four beings. They all surrounded a robed figure. From this center piece, it seemed as if life flowing around them. The light it depicts seems to extend outward to the rest of the image. At the center of the forest's origin, there was the image of a man and a woman standing below a tree with a single fruit. With the spreading light, a mass of figures that could only be seen as people walked through the growing foliage fighting back against the creatures of darkness that inhabited the diminishing, barren wasteland. When he first saw this, Ozpin realized just what these images were conveying:

The relationship between humans and spirits.

However, in stark contrast, the mural to his right looked to be its counterpart's polar opposite. Everywhere...there was destruction. War was waged between armies of multiple sides, each soldier fighting to the death. At the battlefield's center was a single figure, his sword raised high as he was mounted on his horse. He continued to shed blood and bring about Death to vainglorious soldiers who fight not for the people, but for fame.

Flames raged forth, consuming entire villages and crowds of people, each one screaming for mercy. Around the pleading people and ruined villages was an army of troops clad in black, featureless armor, led by an individual clad in shadows surrounding by floating swords.

On the ground, overweight and hideous individuals garbed in regal and expensive clothing were clawing the ground, as if trying to resist the skeletal hands of death pulling them to their demise. Standing in Death's place was a figure garbed in a black robe, his face hidden by his hood. In his hands was a wicked-looking scythe. On his back was a pair of irregular, black wings, more so resembling the branches from a tree. Above them were the depictions of Angels with black wings of the same fashion, carrying trumpets.

By the depicted village ruins lay the starved husks of people, obviously dead. It seemed as if all life was sucked out of each living organism. What was strange was the fact that these depictions were of a brighter shade than most of its counterparts, as if light was shining upon them. A figure was seen walking through the lifeless remnants, a trail of death produced by his malevolent light. He was garbed in a bright, white robe and had no other distinguishing features.

All in all...it was a morbid sight. It was as if it was a representation of the end of the world. Which it very much was. At the very center of the mural lay smaller versions of the four figures. They surrounded the shattered moon. But in the moon's fragments lay a red eye.

A soft sigh parted from his lips. "I was hoping that this mural would be gone by the time I returned here," he whispered, closing his eyes. "I looked, as he released hell upon this earth. The first to ride was the king of the underworld, who brought conflict where he went. Blood followed in his wake. The second to ride was the embodiment of darkness, who sought to rule over all things. Destruction followed in his wake. The third to ride was the plague, who brought death to those unfortunate to cross him. Famine and disease followed in his wake. And the last to ride was the angel of destruction, who wrought nothing but death. Souls followed in his wake. When the trumpets resound, so too shall the woes of this earth."

"...and thus begins the last days of man," a booming voice echoed through the chamber. "The final day of judgment...Armageddon."

Ozpin remained silent as he directed his attention to the mural before him...Positioned behind a shrine with a Dragon statue. As for this image in particular...

It showed three figures. The first was humanoid, with a clockwork gear behind it, standing to the left. To the right was another figure, also humanoid, with streams dancing around him, as if representing souls. The figure in the middle, however, was cracked, as if history itself know longer remembered it. However, behind those figures was an enormous creature, encompassing them within its wings. It was hardly a challenge to recognize what it was. A dragon.

But it wasn't simply any dragon.

It was the King of all Dragons...better known as the progenitor of the Dragon race, the Great Spirit of Annihilation...Bahamut.

"It has been many years since you've set foot in this temple, human..." the voice rung out. "Tell me...have you come seeking my power? Or, perhaps...you've come to finally end this pathetic existence of yours at long last?"

"...As much as the latter suggestion sounds tempting, no." Ozpin shook his head. "I currently have something to live for...and I endeavor to see through to it to the end. And I do not wish you seek your power."

"Then for what reason have you come here?"

"A request," the Headmaster answered. "The Trial that has plagued both the Kresnik and Belladonna families will soon come to ahead...and when it does, the Bane and the Key will be at the very center of the conflict that will throw this world into chaos. My brother seeks a world where Spirits are tools for humanity to use as they see fit, and Heldalf seeks the death of humanity itself."

"...and how should this concern me, human?" the voice rumbled. "I have no interest in your petty affairs."

"Perhaps, but...the reason I have come here is to ask of you a favor."

"A favor?"

"Yes," Ozpin nodded, adjusting his glasses. "When the time comes...I would have you lend your power to the Scion of Kresnik."

Silence filled the area.

"...hmhmhmhmhmhm..."

Ozpin's eyes narrowed deeply.

"Hahahahahahaha..."

Soon, the chuckles erupted into laughter.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The headmaster of Beacon Academy remained silent as the voice continued to bellow in uproaring laughter. After several minutes, the laughter died down.

Then, the voice revealed itself.

It was a dragon...and it was MASSIVE. It stood at least 30 feet tall, its body wide and brim. It bore no scales, only sleek, jet black armor with golden accents. Its talons were like that of human hands, yet easily capable of tearing through the thickest metal on Remnant. Its legs perched its body atop the ruined statue of a dragon, causing it to crack harshly, as the toes dug deep into the stone. Its tail lashed around lazily, the tip colored gold with a sharp tip. It bore three toes, also colored gold with sharp fangs. Its body was easily humanoid, evident by the muscles between the gaps of armor, from the shoulder plates to the gauntlets. From behind its back were gigantic wings. Contrary to the bat-like wings most dragons bore, the wings it carried were far different. The limb-like appendages were armored bone, but extending outward from it were not thin skin or feathers. Instead, it was brightly colored bronze and golden metal fangs, tinted dark red at the tips. Behind these wings were appendages that vaguely resembled jet engines. Its head was indeed that of a dragon, bearing a sharp snout with fins standing tout from its neck. Its head was also armored, with the helm having jagged fangs, but beneath the metal were sharp fangs. Staring back at Ozpin were four eyes, each bearing a different color.

Red, gold, purple, and gray stared back at brown ones.

"Truly, you have not changed," the Great Spirit Bahamut mused, crouching down with his arm resting on his knee. "Still as arrogant to believe that you can order me. Many have tried as you have. Many have tried to make me bow to them. To make me bend to their will."

Ozpin never looked away. Instead, he calmly took a drink of his coffee mug. "And they paid the price."

"Yes they have...In the end...not a single one could make me bow to them...so they paid for their arrogance with their lives." He then crouched to bring his head down closer to Ozpin. "...So what makes you any different from those fools?"

Ozpin, for the first time, smirked. "...absolutely nothing."

"..." Even more silenced fell between the two. Then Bahamut broke his visage of seriousness and broke out into laughter once more. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA...!" The dragon leaned back, throwing his head back. For a moment, the man thought the temple was shaking. Eventually, he leaned down. "You are still as amusing as ever," Bahamut said. "Very well, then...I will lend my power to the Scion of Kresnik."

Ozpin smiled.

"However," the Great Spirit's eyes flashed. "I will see if he is worthy of my power...if he proves frail, then I will kill him."

"Very well, then."

"Hmph, you still play a dangerous game...it is a wonder how you have yet to kill yourselves in this pathetic squabble."

"I often have the same, exact thoughts Bahamut..." Ozpin shook his head. "...it is a game that my kin and I have been cursed with..."

"And soon it will all come to an end," the Great Spirit stated. "Be it by your hand...or those against you."

"Of that, I am aware."

Bahamut laughed again. "Even to this day, you are still the only human who has ever garnered such interest," he said before rising to his full height. "When the promised time comes, bring the Scion of Kresnik to me. Then, I shall test his worth."

Ozpin nodded. "Very well."

With that, the Great Spirit of Annihilation spread his wings wide, lifting into the air.

"Until we meet again...Ozpin Kresnik."

 **-Teammate Troubles - Black and White: END-**

 **Next Time: Birth of a new Destroyer of Worlds**

 **Hint for Next Chapter:**

 **"Do you have what it takes? The decision? To choose? Answer me...LUDGER KRESNIK!"**


	14. Chapter 14

**Co-Written with Demons Anarchy of Pride. The creator of many fantastic masterpieces such as: Fire Emblem: Eternity Unto Reformation, Code Geass: Lelouch of the R-eset, The Crow: DxD, Highschool, DxD: Shatter Destiny, RWBY's Reaper, Code Geass 00, Fractured Reality, Code Geass: Suzaku of the Counterattack, Devil Survivor: Destiny Rewind, and some of his new projects, such as Lagrange 111: You Are (Not) Alone, Tokyo Ghoul: A Flowered Colored Darker Than Black, Persona 4: The Unseen Truth, Monarch, Kill the Deadly Sin, Code Geass: The Butterfly Effect, DxD: Final, DC Heroes: FORGOTTEN BLOODSTAINED LEGACY, DxD: Nocturne, Project, A Tale of Three Dragons, A Dragon Darker than Black, Code Geass: Kill the Rebellion, RWBY: Colorless Memories, RWBY: Black Rebellion, RWBY: Final Judgment, Persona 3: Death Overture, and more.**

 **I highly recommend you check them all out.**

 **I really appreciate your help, man. Couldn't have done this without ya!**

 **I also recommend a few stories made by another talented fanfic writer, Otaku-Nation666: Warning Letter, Highschool DxD: Destiny's Play, RWBY Riders: Spirits of Legend, Deadly Sin of the Spriggan, RWBY: Within Enlightened Hearts, Tokyo Ghoul: Wishes of an Eyepatch, Fabulae Parcae, RWBY –Apocrypha-, Tokyo Mirage Sessions: Apocalypse, and more.**

 **Thank you to all who continue to support this story. Please Read and Review.**

 **Also…..ALL FLAMES CAN JUST BURN IN HELL!... So don't even bother.**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Chapter 12: Birth of a New Destroyer of Worlds**

The battle between the joined forces of Roman, the White Fang, Xeno, and Exodus versus Teams RWBY, LNCE, Penny, and Two other young fighters could be heard all throughout the docks. Many members of the two opposing terrorist groups have already fallen, either rendered unconscious or killed by the Blue Devil.

The two groups, and their opposing forces, had moved away from one another, and fought on separate ends of the battlefield. Xeno, Team LNCE, and Caius stood at the docks, where the sea beside them trembled whenever they clashed.

All the while, the crazed swordsman cackled in maniac glee.

"Yes! Excellent, excellent, excellent...EXCELLENT...!"

Ludger and Eden dashed in together, going straight at him at the front. Their blades clashed against his, while Nico and Mielo came at him from the sides. They too were met with opposition, with Nico smashing his fists against crossed swords, and Mielo dodging and cutting away swords that were sent flying at her. Neo and Caius charged in from behind, the only spot where Xeno was left vulnerable. However, he had seen then coming a mile away, and turned around, crashing two black swords against theirs.

Caius' eyes narrowed as he pushed his sword against his. "The Horseman of Pestilence," he spoke with contempt. "So, Shadow's host is a madman who revels in death, is he?"

"Oho~! So the little Neapolitan ice cream haired boy knows of us? How interesting~" He grinned as he pressed his face closer to the teen, creeping him out. In response, Caius pressed a switch on his weapon, causing electricity to crackle along the blade.

This took Xeno by surprise, some of the sparks getting too close for his comfort. Caius pushed further, and parried the sword. Neo slammed her leg into the blade, throwing it off to the side and swinging her sword at him. A black sword blocked its path, but Caius was quick to strike, thrusting his sword straight forward. It grinded against two more swords, one of which Xeno was holding.

"Well I'll be damned...more so than I already am...It's like I'm seeing a genderbent double~"

Caius felt his eyebrow twitch. "...you are very annoying," he said. "I hope you don't mind my sword cutting you down."

"Get in line," Neo said, her voice ever calm. "I called dibs."

"Oh! Feisty! It's like you two are related~" The madman grinned as he waved his fingers with his free hand, causing two more swords to fly in and strike them.

However, those swords were easily destroyed by Caius as he stood in front of the petite odd-eyed girl. "Blitz Slash!" The Arte took form as a torrent of electricity dancing around his blade as he swung. An arc of lightning trailed along the tip of the blade, destroying the swords. Neo took advantage of the opening, and dashed forward.

"Mirror Cut." Xeno swung his sword and bisected the figure closing in. But when his blade made contact, the image shattered. In response, he felt a sharp pain emerge from his back and front, the damage of what he inflicted upon the illusion adding onto Neo's own attack.

"Cheeky little punk," he muttered, though internally, he was intrigued. He never heard of an Arte that reflected damage back at the attacker.

Now he was even MORE excited! "…Hehehe…Hahaha! I'm seriously getting a boner for murder now!"

Neo's eyes narrowed in disgust as she emerged next to Ludger. "Need help?"

"Yeah!" he nodded, knocking away the blades. "You remember our old combo?"

The tricolored haired girl only smirked. "Of course."

Ludger smiled. "Then let's link up!"

Neo nodded. A second later, their Allium Orb's resonated, and a pale, transparent line danced between them.

Nico looked over at Eden. The Blue Devil seemed to catch his meaning, and grinned. "Well, if the Leader's doing it, let's follow his lead!" Soon, a similar line formed between them. Caius and Mielo did the same as well, despite the two meeting for the first time.

Xeno laughed wickedly. "Ah, the good old Link...wonder how much good it will do you?"

"Why don't you tell us once we've pounded your mug down to the pavement?!" Eden snapped his jacket ignited in tandem.

Once more, Team LNCE and Caius moved back into the fray.

The psychotic, raven haired man cackled. "By all means...entertain me more, Horseman of War!"

XXXXXXXXXX

While Team LNCE and Caius battled Xeno at the docks, Team RWBY, Penny, and Tico and Roman had taken their fight to a warehouse. When Ruby first encountered Roman, she pegged him as the type who used dust and his weapon to blow up his enemies, and strike from a distance. Their newest confrontation, however, proved her wrong.

That cane HURT. A LOT.

She had to admit, that weapon of Roman's was a lot sturdier than she gave credit for. She was definitely going to feel the bruises tomorrow.

"You know, everything was running smoothly until you brats showed up," Roman griped as he swung his cane around his wrist. "Seriously! What is it these days with kids trying to be heroes?! Didn't your parents ever tell you that being a hero juuuuuuust might end with you six feet under?"

"And didn't anyone ever tell you that villains never win?" Ruby retorted.

"Oh now that's just naive bullshit, Red." Roman scoffed. "This ain't your little Fairy Tale or Bed Time Story. This is reality. As such, anything goes! And tonight..." He raised his cane and pointed it at her. "We're gonna land on top"

Penny narrowed her eyes, her blades spinning around her, as if ready to cut him down. "Roman Torchwick," she said calmly and collectively. "You are wanted for various crimes, including robbery, murder, and destruction of government-owned property. How do you plea?"

"Plea? Are you being serious right now?" He blocked and evaded a few rounds from Blake's Gambol Shroud. "Why would I plea if everything I've done is to survive?"

"...understood," Penny said, almost in a creepy voice that unnerved Ruby, but then her eyes glowed, and her blades suddenly stopped dancing around her, spinning with their edges aimed straight at the criminal. "In the name of Atlas, I will arrest you!"

Tico paused. "...okay, why does that sound seriously so familiar?"

"We can discuss this later!" Weiss snapped her out of it. "We have to apprehend him!"

Roman reared his head back with laughter. "Really, princess?" he asked. "Well, then, try and test your luck~! Bomb Blast!" He knocked Tico away, and then took aim at Ruby. He pulled the trigger, and a ball of flame launched straight at her.

She used her semblance to speed away from the point of impact. When the arte collided with the ground, a fiery blaze of energy erupted, broke apart, and melted the concrete.

"Icicle Bullet!" Weiss shouted. A familiar rune danced in front of her. Then, bullets of ice fired forward at Roman.

"Rending Blaze!" The mobster countered the projectiles by forming an intense ball of energy at the end of Melodic Cudgel before flipping it around in his hand so that the curve of the cane grabbed onto the burning sphere. As he swung, the ball of heat transformed into a large blazing wave of power, melting the ice.

The girls recoiled from the intense heat, though Tico and Penny seemed unaffected.

"Hey hey," the hyperactive girl said, looking at the ginger-haired girl. "Wanna link up?"

Penny's face lit up. "Sensational! Let's!"

On cue, their respective Allium Orbs glowed before linking with one another in a transparent beam of light.

"Heh, you think that's gonna help you?" Roman smirked, aiming his cane at the two.

Then he found himself acquainted with Tico Maverick's Semblance.

She opened her mouth and screamed, forming powerful sound waves that threw the man into the side of a crate.

Naturally, the event took everyone by surprise. "The shit?!" Roman shouted as he removed himself from the wall, only to use his cane to knock away Penny's blades. "Okay, brat...you just got on my last nerves!"

"Bloom Blast!" Ruby cried as she fired a blast of energy with petals trailing behind it. The incoming arte made Roman roll out of the way before it struck the Dust container, creating a destructive blaze.

Roman's scowl grew to immeasurable size. You had to be shitting him! He just got that shipment of Dust! Dammit, if his 'boss' found out, he'd be dead for sure! Actually...that terrified him, especially when he heard from Taurus that the psycopath and her boyfriend slaughtered nearly the entire White Fang by themselves. He made a mental note to apologize, if it would work. He turned his attention back to the girls, and brought up his cane.

"Don't think so!" Tico shouted as she smirked. "Time...!"

Ruby and Yang stopped and looked at the girl in shock, recognizing that posture. Wait, was she about to-?!

"Disintegrate Accel!"

The orange haired mobster never had a chance in defending himself from the attack. He couldn't even follow the girl's swinging blades quickly enough. All he could comprehend were two shadow strikes impacting him from either side of him.

"Ghrk?!" His Aura helped lessen the blows, but a few cuts were dealt to his suit. "You little br-!"

Penny came up from behind, blades lined up. He cursed. Today really wasn't his day, was it? "Puppet Dance!" The swords flew, and danced around as if being wielded by phantom soldiers. Roman dodged from a few, but the blades were moving all over the place. It was impossible to predict them. Dammit, close range wasn't his specialty! He was used to blowing shit up from a distance!

"Our turn, jackass!" Yang shouted as she and Blake came up from the rear. "Blake!"

The black-haired Faunus girl nodded.

The blonde shot a yellow blast shaped like a dragon at the mobster, while Blake slashed away, creating black moon strikes. They merged with the dragon, and turned into a black beast that tore straight at Roman. The man was thrown off of his feet, tumbling through the air before using his cane to catch himself up on top of one of the support beams. With a huff, he swiveled his way on top. Ruby and Weiss were quick to jump up to his level, as well as Penny and Blake. Yang and Tico, meanwhile, looked ready to strike from below.

"You know, you really are a bunch of irritating girls," Roman said. "I mean, seriously! Don't you have anything better to do? Like, I dunno, paint your nails and talk about boys?"

But Roman stopped and realized something. There was someone missing from this little group since the battle begun. "...Where the hell is monkey boy?" His answer...two feet struck the side of his face, making his head spin in an uncomfortable angle.

"OOf!"

"Hehehe," Sun grinned as he landed atop one of the higher steel beams, hanging from it by his tail. "Missed me, orange-top?"

The mobster gave him a mock glare. "...you know, animals are one thing, but you?" he said. "I think I hate YOU the most, just as much as I hate Xeno."

Blake frowned. "...I thought the two of you were partners?"

"Oh, we are, kitty cat," Roman responded. "But it's a love-hate thing. I love the guy for his...artistic talents, and I hate him because of how much fun he has without me." He paused. "...well, that, and he likes to steal my stuff without asking."

Yang smirked. "Well, lucky for you, he won't be around for much longer," she said confidently. "He's facing Team LNCE...and that guy who kinda looks like Neo looks pretty tough, so that's one thing off your mind, right?"

Roman gave the girls a stare...then reared his head back, laughing.

The girls and monkey Faunus exchanged confused glances at one another before turning back to the mobster, who was now clutching his sides in pain. Irritated by his behavior, Blake stepped up.

"And just what is so funny?"

"Hahaha...hohoho...heehee...Oh...man...You kids are hopelessly naive aren't you...?" Roman questioned in an eerily calm manner after adjusting his hat.

"You see...Xeno's not the sort of guy who loses easy, even if he's fighting Devil Boy," he said, grinning. "Hell, why not ask the White Fang? They could tell you ALL about the time he chopped them all up into tiny bits!" Blake's eyes went wide with horror as she heard that. No, how...what?! That couldn't be possible! There's no way Adam would ever let that happen! "'course, bull-for-brains didn't like that...so Xeno gave him something to remember." The mobster developed a thoughtful look. "I wonder if he's fine just having one eye these days?"

Blake nearly dropped her weapon upon hearing those words. Did...did she hear that right? Xeno...took the eye of her former partner...one of the Strongest the White Fang has to offer?!

"Hmph," Yang huffed. "So what? Ludger's got Neo and Eden with him, plus Nico and Cielo too! There's no way he'd lose!"

Roman suddenly became silent. "...did you...just say Neo?"

"Uh…yeah?"

"The brat with the ice-cream looking hair and parasol?"

Ruby frowned heavily. "...yeah, why?"

Roman paused for a moment before his expression broke into another fit of laughter. The girls and Sun were startled by this, as the man had palmed his face. "Oh-oh that's fucking hilarious!" he said between guffaws. "If Xeno heard about this! Hahahahaha! Jesus christ, talk about irony!"

"Okay, just what the hell is so funny?!" Yang snapped, her golden locks burning brightly in rage.

Roman's laughter died down, still giggling as he wiped a tear from his eye. "Oh, blondie," he said with a wide grin. "You really...have no idea who that ice cream head is, do you?"

Roman sighed melodramatically as he shook his head. "So you really don't know...a pity. Tell me, do you know anything about her life before you all met her?"

Ruby opened her mouth...but found no words leaving them. That's right...she didn't know anything about Neo. The girl's past was a mystery. All she knew was that she found herself in Ludger's home, given a place there, and even a name.

"...what do you know about her?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. "And why do you know her?"

The mobster shrugged his shoulders in nonchalance. "Well, don't know her personally...but I know someone who does." He paused, then smirked. "And believe me...she's, how shall we say, REALLY possessive of that little girl. To be honest, I didn't even think the brat was alive. And now I find out she's alive and kicking, and with you guys! Hah! Seriously, it's irony!" He shook his head. "Wait 'till sweet cheeks hear's about this!"

Yang growled. "Look, I don't know who the hell your talking about," she said, smashing her gauntlets together. "But we're not letting you anywhere near Neo!"

"Well, blonde," Roman smirked, aiming his weapon at the girls in front of him. In response, everyone readied their weapons. "Come and get me!"

XXXXXXXXXX

When Xeno had lost those black blades of his, Ludger thought the fight would have been easy.

He was wrong. So, so wrong.

The cause for his sudden change of thought: The tendrils of shadows spawning from the psycho that were trying to slice them up and skewer them!

"Shit!" Nico growled as he jumped away from the tendrils. "What is this?! I thought his Semblance were those black blades!"

"Oh no. You are sorely mistaken, young Berserker..." Xeno grinned innocently. "I never said that was my semblance. You see...the black blades you all saw me fight with...those were merely my weapons~"

Eden's eyes widened. "What?!"

All this time...they were dealing with his weapons?! How was he able to manipulate all of them with ease?! Was THAT his semblance? To manipulate things like his swords? But then what were these animated shadows that they were now facing?

"Surprised?" Xeno asked with a smirk. "Well, this is just something unique to me...just like those nasty flames of War's, and Death's nasty little 'bite''~ If memory serves, Famine's is might fierce, eh?"

"You know," Caius commented. "You talk too much." His eyes narrowed, and his sword cackled with electricity. "Let me fix that." He charged forward, blade dragging along the ground. Xeno, in response, sent the tentacles after him, though the mysterious young man evaded them with ease. When he was in close, he swung his blade. "Blitz Howl!"

As his blade sliced through the air, pulse waves of electrical energy surged through the air before striking Xeno square in the chest.

The dark man's eyes widened as he found himself thrown into the air, only for the tendrils to catch him. He quickly reorientated himself, and sat down on one of them almost leizurely so. This caused both annoyance and irritation in the group. It was as if he wasn't even taking this seriously. "Well, color me impressed!" he said with a wide smile, clapping his hands. "You're the first person since this fight started that actually hit me! Not bad! Caius Mel Marta, was it?"

"Do not speak my name as if you know it well, Horseman," he snorted. "I am in no mood for your games."

"Aw, but where's the fun in that?" he asked, holding up a hand. "C'mon, can't you see how fun this all is? Killing, slaughtering, destroying your opponents? I mean, seriously...what better way to have fun than to prove that you exist in such a boring world?"

Eden's eyes widened, and his scowl grew. "You mean...you killed my family for fun?!"

"Well, that," Xeno shrugged. "And Azure Flaemis was a threat to my goals. You see, I've got this big grand plan in mind, and he was in the way."

Mielo narrowed her eyes at the man. "...and what is this plan of yours?"

Xeno's smile grew wicked. "Simple, really...the end of the world~"

The teens were taken aback by his blatant explanation. End of the world? Was he serious?!

"W-what?!" Ludger gasped. "A-are you out of your mind?!"

"Hm, maybe~ Depends on your definition of insanity, I guess."

"But that's cruel!" Cielo shouted, momentarily regaining control. "Why would you do that?!"

"Why?" Xeno raised an eyebrow. "Because...it's fun." Everyone was stricken aback. Even Elle, who remained hiding behind one of the freighters, could only look at the madman with a look of horror. "So, so much fun...what could possibly be more fun than watching death come to this boring ass world?"

"...you are more fucked up than I first thought..." Nico growled as he cracked his knuckles. "We won't let you do as you please!"

Xeno smirked. "Well, come on...I'm waiting!"

"...Shatter Image." The man's eyes widened when he found himself knocked off of the tendril, courtesy of an unexpected kick coming to his face and throwing him to the ground. He landed on his feet easily enough, though he noticed pieces of glass falling to the ground. He looked up, and found Neo stabbing her blade into the tendril, destroying it instantly, letting her fall to the ground. "...annoying."

"Oho~! So the girlie has more fight in her after all..."

With him now on the ground, Team LNCE, plus Caius, resumed the battle.

Eden and Nico flanked his left, both glowing from their respective semblances. Their Allium Orbs shone brightly in tandem.

"BRIGHT DEVOUR!"

Eden stabbed his sword into the ground, forcing the ground to break apart as flames filled the cracks. When they fully surrounded Xeno, Nico slammed his hands together. The motion transformed the blue fire into a set of blazing jaws that swallowed the psychopath.

"Neo!" Ludger called out. "Let's go!"

The petite girl nodded as she and her friend moved in while the man was still engulfed with flames. "Link Cross!"

Both teens charged in on either side of the burning man. Since they were close enough, they raised their blades and slashed him with mana-imbued attacks in an X formation.

The flames dispersed, and revealed Xeno, albeit slightly charred. A look of distaste was on his face. He opened his mouth to speak-

"Arc Torrent!"

-though he was ceased when Caus swung a lightning imbued attack into his side, throwing him into the air. He then looked at Mielo, who nodded. She disappeared in a dark blue haze, and reappeared behind Xeno. "Cold Stinger!"

Her shorts words became imfused with mana with an ice element, and then moved in to stab both of them into his back.

She would have succeeded, if not for the blade swords intercepting her. "What?! I thought we destroyed all those!"

Xeno smiled wickedly at her. "So long as Shadow is by my side," he said as his eyes burned purple. "These swords will never disappear."

The black blades parried her strike, then swirled around Xeno as he flipped himself around, now facing the girl. Mielo cursed and brought her swords to defend.

"Dark Craze!"

The swords then spun around, a black aura dancing around them before spinning straight at her.

Mielo moved her arms as quickly as she could to intercept the blades of darkness. She managed to protect herself for a few seconds before she became overwhelmed by the swords' increase of speed.

"And following it up, Lion's Howl!" Xeno grinned madly, rearing his arm back. When he thrust forward, the roaring head of a dark lion charged at her.

Mielo cried as the condensed, burst of mana collided with her head on and slammed her harshly back to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust and rubble.

"Cielo!" Ludger cried out in worry. He rushed out toward her to help her up. But before he reached her, spikes made from darkness erupted right in front of him, cutting him off.

"Well, miss two personality here is down for the count," Xeno said as he landed gently on the ground, his hands in his pockets. "So...who's next?"

"Devil's Waltz!" Eden's voice cut through the air as multiple pillars of blue fire soared and crashed into Xeno.

Nico followed up, charging forward with his arm reared back to deliver a strike of his own. "Iron Lariat!" The markings of his arm glowed bright as he rammed it into the psychopath's jugular notch.

The result? Xeno was sent flying...yet the grin on his face never disappeared. While he was in the air, he whirled around, and lashed out his arm. "Pursuit!"

As if a dog following its owner's command, a black shadow sailed across the ground before splitting in two, each separate tendril chasing after Nico and Eden. When they finally caught up, the shadows manifested into sharp blades that stabbed their targets.

The two cried out in pain. However, even worse, the shadows wrapped around Xeno's wrists. His grin grew worse. "...my turn!" The mass of darkness on his limbs grew until it covered from his elbow to his fingertips. It changed in texture, as if becoming something akin to metal. The fingers grew and sharpened until they became lethal claws. Then, he leaped at the two.

Nico pulled himself together and raised his gauntlet-encased hands in front of him, forming translucent walls of aura to defend themselves.

Sadly...it did nothing to defend him, as the claws easily ripped through the barriers, leaving only his arms to keep him away from the black-haired monster before him. "W-what the-?!"

"Didn't I tell you before?" Xeno hissed. "Shadow's hungry!"

The Berserker could not even form a verbal response as Xeno drove his shadow-encased fist deep into his solar plexus. Nico choked from the air being forced from his lungs before keeping over and regurgitating the contents that were pushed from his stomach. The force of the punch was enough to shatter what he had left of his aura, making it recede into his body.

"Hollow Corpse!"

A black hand rammed itself into his abdomen. Blood gushed from his mouth, feeling his ribs break upon impact. Then, with a roundhouse kick, a heel was planted into his jaw, shattering the bone and throwing him aside. His body crashed into a freighter, left hanging there as if limp.

He didn't get back up.

"Nico!" Eden cried in worry before snarling, his own eyes burning purple before he charged forward. Blue flames clashed with dark fangs, as the two stared back at each other. "You bastard! You're going to pay for that!"

"Yes...Fight with that righteous anger, War!" Xeno cackled as he scrapped his claws against one another, creating a shower or sparks.

Eden was more than happy to oblige. Even now, he felt something urging him. Something in the back of his head telling him to lose himself in his rage.

Unknown to Ludger, Neo or Caius, two figures stood behind them.

They were not human.

The being behind Xeno was a humanoid mass of darkness with silver plates of armor hovering over its forearms and metal shoulder guards rimmed with silver blades on the upper and lower rims. It's body was bare, showing off its muscular torso with a large eye with a red red pupil and purple iris on its lower abdomen. Its head was featureless, save for the cold, slanted, icy blue eyes on its face. The being did not have legs, as it appeared to be attached to the pool of shadows below it. On its dark stem, metal appendages with protrusions that resembled teeth sprouted on either side of it, numbering four in total. Its hands had three fingers. On each of its palms was a single eye that resembles the one on its body.

The being behind Eden was just was ominous. It was a hulking, skeletal figure clad in heavy armor. In its right hand was a double saber with blades that resemble intertwining thorns. On its left arm was a spiked, heavy shield. Both its armor and shield were covered in human skulls. Its legs were nothing more than black, armored spikes. The head of the being was a skull that was the same, decaying green color was the rest of its body, with its eyes being no more than glowing red lights in the sockets. Twin black horns sprouted from its head, giving it a demonic visage. Sprouting from its back were spiked appendages that resembled wings of darkness. Above its head was a glowing red circle that was composed of intricate markings and symbols, symbols that resembled the markings on Eden's sword.

When the two clashed, the beings stared back at one another, as if resonating with each other...and loathing one another.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Oof!" Roman grunted as he landed on his back. He was about to get back up, but Penny's blades pinned him to the floor. "Whoa-hey! Easy! This coat is expensive!"

"It's over, Torchwick." Blake spoke with finality. "There is nowhere for you to go, the White Fang and Exodus troops are taken down, and Ludger and the others are working to take down your partner as we speak."

The mobster rolled his eyes. "Yeah, suuuuure...keep telling yourself that, kiddies," he said before Tico kicked him in the ribs. "Ow!"

"That's for hurting my friends, you big dork!" she said childishly. "Also, I have a TON of questions for you! You better answer them!"

"Or what?"

He was answered with twin, gleaming blades positioned on either side of his neck in a criss-cross fashion. "Or things will get...less pleasant..." Her voice gained a chilling edge to it.

The girls, plus Sun and Roman, shivered. For a moment, they thought they saw something hovering behind the girl.

"...okaaay, you've made your argument," Roman said, gulping. "So long as it's within reason..."

"Edna's momma, the woman in the red dress, where is she?"

Roman's eyes widened. "Hold up, that chick has a brat?!"

Tico brought the blades closer, now making minimal contact with his skin. "I'm the one asking questions here! Tell me where Edna's momma is!"

"Who the hell is Edna?!"

"W-whoa, hey now, short stuff," Yang said, tapping the girl on the shoulder. "Look, I get you want to interrogate him...but trying to kill him is..."

Tico bit her lip, but lessened the pressure on his neck. Roman sighed in relief. "You still haven't answered my question, meanie!"

"Look, kid, I dunno who this Edna person is, but that woman you want to know? Now, I usually don't care who you are, but you're like, what? 13? 14?"

Ruby glared at the mobster. "You didn't seem to care all that much about me, and I'm 15!"

"Whatever, Red." Roman waved Ruby off before returning his attention to Tico. "As for your question...No. I have no idea where she is. But take my advice on this, kid...don't stick your nose in her business. She does NOT take kindly to people who interfere or mess with her plans..."

He paused, then shivered. "If not her, then her boyfriend...and believe you me, you don't wanna be you."

"Oh! So you know Edna's papa too? Then where is he?" Tico asked, not picking up the sense of foreboding in Roman's warning.

"Again, who the hell is-"

Suddenly, the ground began to shake violently. "W-whoa!" Sun cried, nearly losing his footing. "The heck was that?!"

"Heh," Roman smirked. "Looks like Xeno's gotten pretty fired up..."

"...What do you mean...?" Yang's eyes narrowed into a glare.

"I mean that pretty soon, all of your friends will be resting in itty-bitty pieces..."

Ruby's eyes widened. "N-no, that can't be!"

"Oh, Red..." Roman smirked. "If you only knew...best say your goodbyes now~" He was about to open his mouth again, likely going to give a scathing remark, though Yang silenced him, knocking him unconscious with a kick of her boot.

Tico gasped. "W-wait! I wasn't done talking to him yet!"

"We don't have time for this!" The blonde argued. "We gotta go back the others up!"

"I will keep watch on him," Penny said. "You had best go after this Xeno character!"

Sun chuckled. "I'll stay behind too," he said. "You know...just in case!"

Blake frowned. "...so you feel it too?" she whispered to him. Sun gave a nod. It was hard not to feel that overwhelming sense of dread that seemed to linger in the air. Perhaps the reason they felt it was because of their heightened senses? "Keep an eye on Torchwick...I still have questions for him."

"Got it. Just go and help your friends. It seems they'll definitely need it..."

With a nod, Blake and the others left to assist Ludger and the others.

As they left, the two turned to the unconscious form of Torchwick. "Well, least this guy is caught..." he said as he crossed his arms. "Still, him, Exodus, and the White Fang, all working together? That was a shock."

"We suspected that he was working with Exodus," Penny said. "Though we never had any definitive proof up until now."

"Oh yeah, you mentioned something about Atlas...wait, your not a secret agent, are you?"

Penny tilted her head. "Secret...agent?"

"Y-yeah! Like James Bond!"

"...who?"

Sun's jaw went slack. "...are you being 100% serious right now, lady?" he asked, completely stupefied. Who in the hell hasn't heard of 007, the man who made spy movies so damn popular?! "How do you not know-!"

"What a pain...we gave him one job, and the fool ends up screwing it up." Suddenly, the two became on edge, and whirled around. A new figure was slowly walking toward them, a young teen with curly blonde hair and cold blue eyes wearing a black collared shirt with cuffs and white trim, kept buttoned over his neck and held in place with a unique insignia insignia. Over the black shirt, he wore a white military jacket with black trim and decorated buttons. It also has the black piece of the insignia on the left shoulder and black cuffs with white buttons that nearly reach up to his elbows. He wore white gloves. He had a thick black belt encircling his waist, and he wore two smaller belts below it forming an X over his posterior and front. A swore was found at his left hip. He wore white pants with black boots reaching up to his upper thighs. The boots had three large buttons at the upper lateral sides and three smaller buttons coming up from his ankles. The soles, toe, and heels of the boots are white. A decoration over the heels consists of a small ribbon coming from either side to make a V with a small white circular detail keeping them in place. "Even though Cinder said we required him, he's nothing but a disgusting human."

"Who are you?!" Sun questioned as he readied his bow staff in case the man proved to be hostile.

"Are you affiliated with Roman Torchwick?" Penny questioned as she prepared her remaining swords for the same reason.

The white-cloaked stranger gave the two a look, shifting from one to the other. To Sun, he gave a look of disgust, finding him vile, while to Penny, he expressed curiosity. "...you there, the one with the swords." he called out. "What are you?" Penny felt her body stiffen. "Your Aura...it feels unnatural, almost artificial. How strange..." he paused, then scoffed. "Hmph, I suppose it doesn't matter." He then resumed glaring at the two, slowly pulling his sword out from its sheath. "To answer your question...we require him alive, despite my distaste for him."

"Well, we're not letting you have him! We beat him, and we're apprehending his sorry ass!" Sun retorted. He may not know what the man was talking about before with Penny, but he would ponder that later. It seemed that they were going to have a fight on their hands.

"...Is that so...?" The young man's voice lowered, his eyes changing from an icy blue to bloody red. He held his sword at ready by his side, with his gaze trained on the two.

Upon looking into his eyes, Sun felt his body trembling from the wave of killing intent washing over him. His instincts were telling him to run. That whatever he felt before in the direction with Nico and Eden paled in comparison to what he was facing right now.

Penny remained steadfast, but even she looked apprehensive. "You are...Seraph..."

"I am Mikaela Hyakuya, the Horseman of Death," the young man answered with a cold edge in his voice. "Now...prepare yourself, filthy humans. I hold no mercy to your pathetic kind."

XXXXXXXXXX

When the claw struck him, Ludger let out a cry of pain as he was sent flying, his swords knocked out of his hands and his back skidding across the pavement. "Ludger!" Elle cried out, rushing towards him and out of her safe haven away from the battle. Ludger, tried to get back up, to stand back to his feet, but his body burned and ached in ways he couldn't even begin to imagine. No matter how he hardened himself, the pain overwhelmed his willpower, and fell short back to the pavement. His eyes fell on the fallen forms of his friends.

Nico was left unconscious still, hanging from the freighter not far from him. Eden was lying on his side, his sword stabbed into the ground next to him, just a hair away from his face. Cielo was still left trudged into the earth, a crater underneath her. Neo was battered and beaten, kneeling on the ground with sweat caking her face, using her sword for support.

"Aw, is that it?" Xeno whined. "Booooring! I seriously would have thought that you would have provided more entertainment! Man, what a letdown..."

He mockingly rolled his arm as he cracked his neck, as if what they had didn't even faze him. Just what the hell was this guy?! The only one left among them on his feet was Caius. But even he was showing signs of fatigue coupled with his own injuries.

He was panting heavily, his sword heavy in his hands. He knew that Xeno was strong...but this? This was just insane!

"Although...I will give you some credit, ice cream boy..." Xeno maintained his grin as he turned to Caius. "Out of your little posse, you are the only one left standing. You must have quite a bit of endurance to do that..."

"Screw...you...!" He flipped the psychopath off, despite his exhaustion.

"And you still have that look of defiance...I almost feel bad that I will have to snuff it out along with your life~"

"C-Caius..." Ludger wheezed, rolling unto his back. Once more, he tried to stand, only for the pain to grow even worse, falling down to all fours.

"Just...stand down Ludger..." Caius shook his head, forcing himself to raise his sword. "...I got this..."

Xeno couldn't help but laugh. "Y-you?!" he guffawed. "Seriously?! C'mon, look at yourself! You can barely hold that thing straight!"

"I won't...ha...I won't let you...touch them..." The tricolored haired boy had to stab his sword to the ground to keep him upright. His entire body ached. It longed to do nothing more than to collapse. But he refused to give in. He wouldn't let this host of Shadow kill them!

"Oh well~ Your funeral~"

As he said that, he grinded his claws together, and slowly stalked ever closer toward him.

Ludger gritted his teeth. 'M-move...!'

He forced his arms to push himself up, despite his muscles and bones screaming in pain.

'Dammit...your my body...move when I tell you to!' he screamed. Even though his body was refusing, he was powering through it. He didn't want this to happen. He didn't know anything about Caius, but right now, he was risking his life for everyone. There was no way he could just let him do this! 'Move...move...move!'

Elle, who remained by his side, and Neo from her position on the battlefield looked at the white haired teen as he struggled to continue to fight. He was determined. He was determined to protect all of them.

'Move...' He was steadily rising to his feet, albeit shakily. 'Move...!' He was now planted on one foot. 'Move!' Slowly, he rose upward. 'MOVE!'

Then, his hand gently brushed against Elle's pocket watch.

The effect was instantaneous. The pocket watch shone brightly in a golden light, blinding everyone conscious on the battlefield, even Team RWBY and Tico who had just arrived.

"W-whoa, what the?!" Xeno growled, backing away and shielding his eyes. "The fuck is with this lightshow?!"

XXXXXXXXXX

Suddenly, without any warning, the watch hidden inside his trousers began to glow brightly. "What?" Ozpin quickly took it out from his pocket, and his eyes widened in fear. "No...!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Ghrk-! Gha!"

Ludger didn't know what was happening. One moment, he was about to get up and fight Xeno...and now, he was in some golden space, surrounded by pieces of clockworks.

Cogs of energy floated in the air and spun all around him. His attention was focused on the bizarre phenomenon before his eyes and not the fact that he was now standing without any protest from his injuries.

His head, however, was hurting like hell. It was like something was pounding away at it.

He could hear voices and see visions. He couldn't tell what was real or what was fiction. They were all happening at once that it was overwhelming his senses.

He saw various faces, faces of people he didn't recognize. People he didn't knew...yet with each passing face, he found a sense of joy.

Why? What was happening? What was going on?

Then, the cogs began to pierce into his body.

With each glowing piece absorbed into his body, it felt as if his nerves were being fried, then frozen, and then reheated again as power pumped through his veins.

"Graaaaagh-! Gaaaaaah!"

His head reared back, eyes as wide as they could possibly go. Above, he found a familiar golden pocket watch dancing above his head, surrounded by more cogs, light pouring out of it.

Running through the center of each one was a single pillar of light that came down was forced itself and the glowing cogs into his eyes.

They can possibly work.

The pain intensified, and he screamed.

"GRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Power, even more than before, forced itself into his body, granting him newfound strength.

His hair flourished, the black streak in his bangs vanishing to leave behind only snow white, and yellow markings marring his cheeks. Black armor folded over his arms, reaching up to the elbows.

In front of him, a double sided spear materialized.

He wasn't sure what it was. The spear that compelled him, or the power that ran through his body. Thus, without thinking, and left screaming, he grabbed the spear, and threw it forward with all of his might.

Suddenly, the world became clear to him. The golden space had vanished, leaving him back, suspended in mid-air, at the docks of the warehouse. Everyone that was conscious was looking at him in utter shock and awe, as if stunned by what they saw. Elle looked up in awe, as had Ruby. Weiss stared with a slackened jaw. Yang could hardly believe what she was seeing. Blake just stared with horror, as if seeing her worst fear come true. Tico seemed to recognize the armor on his arms, and stared at him with recognition and something else. What, he didn't know. Caius shared a similar look.

And as for Xeno...the spear had pierced into his stomach, leaving behind a gaping hole, causing blood to gush from the hole, and from his mouth.

Suddenly, a light danced in the center of the area around them, colored a dark purple, and the world around them turning paler. Ludger wasn't sure if what he saw next was a result from the surge of power affecting his senses...but to him, it seemed as if space was distorting. Then, the sensation grew stronger. Suddenly, the world around him warped. It began to twist around itself, coiling to a single point.

"W-wait, what the-WHOOOOOAAAAAAA!"

The light grew brighter until it engulfed them. All at once, ten teenagers, and one little girl, who all once stood at the docks, all disappeared. Xeno was lying flat on his book, a hole still present in his stomach. The area had become eerily silent. His body remained still. One might have thought he was a corpse. Then, he showed movement. First his fingers twitched, curling into fists, then his lips, which turned into a grin.

Then...he laughed.

"Heh...haha...hahaha...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH...!" The psychopath cackled in glee, as if what just happened was the most amusing thing he has experienced in his life.

Slowly, he rose up, cradling his face in his hand. "Unbelievable...this is too fucking funny! To think one of them was right there! Right in front of me! Hahahahahahahahaha!"

"...seems like you've finally lost it," a voice called out from behind. Xeno looked over his shoulder, and found Mikaela walking toward him, carrying an unconscious Roman Torchwick over his shoulder. "Not only that, but you've let them get away." He narrowed his eyes at the man with loathing. "Cinder will not like this."

"Oh, but don't you see, Death?" Xeno giggled as he hopped to his feet. Were anyone around, they would found the frightening sight of black shadows wrapping around inside the hole in his stomach, as if to repair the damage done to him. "I've just found something so amusing! More interesting than War even!"

The blonde raised an eyebrow.

"...A Kresnik!" he shouted in amusement. "There was a Kresnik here~!"

"A Kresnik?!" Mikaela's eyes widened. One was here?!

"Yup! And he wasn't from Spirius from what I could tell," he said. "He was a student from Beacon Academy from what I could gather. Heehee~ How fun! War and a Kresnik, paired together alongside each other, along with the heir to the Bodaveg family to boot!" A wide grin formed on his face. "This looks like it might be fun~"

Mikaela's face turned serious, turning away from the psychopath. "This changes everything...we'll have to report to Cinder about this."

"Oh yeah...there were a couple of others here too," Xeno added, following behind Mikaela as they left the docks. "Two ice cream haired brats. They kind of reminded me of that babe my man Roman hangs out with from time to time. There was even this weird little brat with two souls inside of her. Hm, what was her name again? Cielo?"

Mikaela suddenly stopped in his tracks. "Cielo?!" He questioned as he spuin around. "You are sure about this?"

"Well, it was kinda confusing, with her friends calling her Cielo or Mielo or whatever..."

Mikaela fell silent. 'Could it be...' He gave the matter deep thought, but eventually, he shook his head. 'No...I can't chase after ghosts of the past. The present is what I should be focusing on.'

Meanwhile, unknown to them, someone had been watching the entire affair from up above one of the construction cranes. "It's as you thought," Rideaux said over the phone, a wry smile on his face. "Ludger Will Kresnik possesses the Chromatus...and it's quite powerful as well...yes, understood. Yes, yes...very well." He closed the phone shut, and chuckled. "Oh, poor poor Julius...I can't wait to see your expression when you find out about your dear little brother~"

XXXXXXXXXX

"...your late, Quartz."

"Hehehe...sorry, Blanc. Lune!" The silver eyed boy rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly upon greeting two of his brothers in all but blood.

The person he was facing was androgynous, making it hard to decide whether or not he was a boy or a girl. His hair was pale white, being slightly unkempt with light blue streaks around the tips of his hair. It was also long, as it was tied back into a ponytail that fell past his shoulders, which was dominantly colored blue at the end, reaching down to his hip. His eyes were icy blue, and wore a light blue jacket over his dress shirt, the interior colored red. Around his neck was a pendant with a blue Dust crystal attached to it. Around his waist were two dark blue belts, crossing over one another to form an "X," also bearing an insignia where they met, a light blue orb attached at the center. Additionally, a black holster was underneath the belts, carrying what appeared to be a long weapon, currently folded. Below, he wore plain white pants with dark gray boots with blue laces.

To the side, leaning against the wall, was another male. He had slightly pale skin, with messy black hair kept underneath a baseball cap with the insignia of Menagerie branded on the front. His eyes were dark gold, though his pupils were slanted somewhat, almost forming into a slit. He wore a plain white t-shirt underneath a sleeveless black jacket with a hood, the hem extending out past his hip and ending at his thighs. Several black bands were wrapped around his right wrist, while a dark purple sleeve covered his left. Below, he wore dark jeans with black combat boots, and silver straps over the soles. At his hip were two black blades, the one on the right larger than the other, with serrated edges. Strangely, at certain points, the edges were separated by a small gap, as thin lines ran across the flat surface of the blade. Slowly swaying behind him was a black-furred monkey tail, signifying his Faunus heritage.

"He was finishing up his mom's weapon," Yin told the white-haired teen, Blanc, as he walked up from behind his cousin. "He finally got it repaired."

"Really? That's great!" The cap wearing teen grinned. "Now you have both weapons of your parents to use in battle."

"Yeah!" Quartz nodded. He then stared at his gloved hands. "Dad's weapons got me pretty far, but if we're gonna be victorious in this war, I need an extra edge in battle."

Blanc smiled slightly. "Don't get ahead of yourself," he told him. "First things first. The headmistress called for us. Seems like there's a Fractured Dimension for us to take down. Possibility of it being a Waymarker, but we'll know when we get there."

"Really?" Yin said, folding his arms. "Huh. Well, let's see what the hag has in mind for us."

"Better not let the headmaster hear you say that," Lune said. "Otherwise, she'll chew you out for the rest of your life."

Quartz laughed. "Isn't that, like, everyday of his life, Lune?"

"Touché." The monkey Faunus smirked as he adjusted his hat with his tail.

"Oh ha. Ha. Laugh it up you guys. You're a riot." Yin retorted in sarcasm.

Blanc shook his head. "Alright, come on you guys, let's go."

With that said, the group left, heading for the headmaster's office. They all entered the elevator, and waited as the elevator doors closed, and began to move upward. Finally, they reached their desired floor at the top of the tower. As a single unit, the four of them stepped into the room and stood at attention. "Greetings, Headmistress Goodwitch."

The woman turned to face the four. She must have been in her mid to late fifties, as there were signs of wrinkles appearing in her face. Her blonde hair had fallen down past her shoulders, being slightly uneven and messy, though her face bore the look of a stern and no-nonsense woman with glasses sitting at the top of her nose. Her attire was that of a dark purple jacket over a dress shirt, though for some reason, she wore a purple cape over her right side. Below, she wore a dark skirt that went down past her knees, and black stockings.

"Ah, you've made it." she nodded, pushing up her glasses. "I assume that Mr. Schnee has explained the situation?"

Quartz nodded. "Yep!" Then, the four boys smirked, as the silver-eyed boy flicked his nose.

"Team RWBY, reporting for duty, ma'am!"

 **Volume 1...END**

 **Next Time:**

 **"J-Julius...?"**

 **"B-but if we don't move forward, we'll never reach Canaan!"**

 **"Where...did you HEAR THAT NAME?!"**

 **"The Chromatus; a power that can bring an end to a false world...a fractured dimension. A power that only we, members of the Kresnik family, can utilize."**

 **"You can't hide your true self forever, Blake..."**

 **"We're in the Prime Dimension now."**

 **"Sis...ter...?"**

 **"We aren't ready!"**

 **"And we may never be ready!"**

 **"M-mom...?"**

 **"You will come to understand...this is our CURSE!"**

 **LNCE of Kresnik, Volume 2 - Chapter 1: Generations, Part I**


	15. Chapter 15

**Dear Readers...or how many of you there are left. We bring you a critical message from each of us:  
**

 **Code-Emperor-07**

 **It has come to our attention that LNCE of Kresnik has gotten to be rather cluttered with no clear sense of direction or purpose from recent reviews. And let us tell you...they are right. We pretty much overdid everything with too many ideas at once, thus ruining our own creation.**

 **Some reasons are too many outside elements, obvious hints and foreshadowing, recycling major events(such as the Trial), unnecessary OCs, OCs that hog the spotlight, and pretty much everything that ruins a plot.**

 **As such, we shall be re-working this story from the ground up. This story is now canned and will be listed as discontinued.**

 **We hope to see you all again in the rewrite.**

 **Demons Anarchy of Pride:**

 **Well...this was a heck of a ride for me too. You all don't know, but working on this story was really fun. Really, that's what fanfiction is. We don't get paid, but we enjoy every last second of it. Fanfiction is our playground. What we write is up to us. So, to those of you who write stories, and are reading things, remember; no matter what anyone says, the story is yours. You decide what happens. Not the readers...unless your story is just like that. For me, working on LNCE was pretty cool. I was especially happy since we had characters like Nico and Cielo thrown into the mix...but the guy who informed us of this story's flaws, Unchained, had told us straight up why our story was lacking.**

 **Hearing this was a blow to our moral, but fanfiction is like a work in progress. True, its sad that so much of what we had planned so over and done with by now, but it was still cool. We wish you could have seen it. We had so many ideas, such as Eden becoming the end of the world's future, Nico being the descendant of one of Remnant's first civilizations, the interactions with the second generation of RWBY, Bahamut's trial for Ludger, and so on. Sadly, none of these ideas will ever see the light of day.**

 **But you know what? THIS is why writing fanfics is so much goddamn fun. Because making up new ideas for stories is what makes us authors. Personally, all of this is training for me to publish my own book series, yet even when I make that dream a reality, I will NEVER stop writing on this site.**

 **LNCE of Kresnik may be gone...but the future still lies bright. So I say unto you, in the immortal words of one Monty Oum,**

 **"Can you match my resolve? If so, you will succeed."**

 **Sincerely, Code-Emperor-07 and Demons Anarchy of Pride.**


End file.
